The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-21
HE EXPRESSES HIMSELF TO THE
GALVESTON NEWS COR
RESPONDENT.
WILL RUN FOR GOVERNOR SURE.
He Outlines His Platform and Gives His
Opinion of the Status of Affairs in
Texas Politics-An Interesting
Document
OErnm Wednesdnv,s Dnily.l

o. NJ. Roberts appeared exclusively III
yesterdays Gal.-Dal. News in connection
with a lengthy staff correspondence from
this city on the matter Of the governor
race. The interview reads as follows:
received telegram yesterday from
you as staff correspondent of the CAL
Dal News in which you said: Please
prepare me an interview as to your can
lidacy, and so on and have it ready for
he: also late photograph. That was
well thought of by the News, for 1t
knows that | am not much upon an i'm
promptu, but rather long winded gener-
ally, to the disgust of self-styled Truth
Teller of Dallas, and the likeness is to
lhow my friend ut Waco that | am ac-
mally alive today, and it would be use
less to search the graveyards for me and
Gen. Houston and Gen. Andrew Jackson,
and further, to relieve some of my other
friends for plying the poor old man who
is being dragged out to his disgrace by
the cruel gold hugs of Texas" and es-
pecially TO prevent the editor of the HOus-
ton Post from crying about it. 1t will
give me time to let it be known that as
to me the past is secure, and that what
| am doing now is not likely to be re-
GREETED by me in the future, whatever
NAV be the result of il. Your coming
will afford me an opportunity to disabuse
the minds of some gentlemen, who have
given public expression in the papers in
regard to my object in the two addresses
that | have had published about that
Dudley so-caled Texas state Democratic
executive committee of IL to 10. ! can
not think of that committee without it re-
curing to me that there was once flXed
up in Washington City by the congress
there substitute board of : to I, that
deprived Ms of president who had been
elected as Democrat, and that III the
same city the silver conference, that met
there in January last, had cOncocted the
plan which we find in that Dudley com
mttee of 1G to - to convert the Demo
cratic party into a silver party in Texas,
in Missouri and i'm other states in which
it may be practicable for n purpose not
avowed and made public, but which Will,
upon a certain contingency, be consplcu-
ously exhibited at st. Louis on the 22d
day of July next, when the Populist and
silver national conventions both meet
there on that day.
'My main object has been to do what
] could as a Democrat to prevent that
thing from being done. My effort to
show that it was the design of the Dudley
committee to 50 shape the plan of the
organization of the party as to secure the
election Of the present state executive
officers. exclusive of any others, either
of the silver or gold political creed, was
not because of any objection that l per
sonally had to them if they should be
nominated by a convention of the party
organized and acting under the previous
ly well established rules of the party
for as to some of them, with whom l am
well acquainted, | would, II they were
so nominated, prefer them for the oiilceS
they now hold to any other men that
know. And as to Governor Culberson,
| showed my appreciation of his efforts
for economy by commencing his course
ON that subject, and was satisfied that
he would have done more on That line ii
he had had more influence with the leg
islature. My efforts have been to SHOW
thn destructive effect upon the Democratic
marty in Texas that would necessarily en-
sue from the election of them or OF any
other set of men to the state executive
Offices under the plan OF organization Oh
the party 10y the Dudley III to 10 commit
tee. Notwithstanding on the same DAY OF
it's massage the part of it relating to sub
mission of the financial question was
highly commended to the Democrats OF
Teyns without any objection to the other
extraordinary features of it by Governor
Culherson and other distinguished gem
tlempn, for whom | have Il proper re-
spcct personally. As to my having pun
lishcd my address to the Democrats IN
The Austin Daily Statesman OF the Iolh
of last month as being intended by me,
ms has been suggested by some lersohS
In the papers for the purpose OF haVinS
myself brought forward ms a cahulualc
for the office of governor, must su!
that il never occurred to me that any
one would think of such thing. IL Is
likely that the fear of such think was
father TO the thought by them, for no
such imputation was cast upon me III
1894 when | made Il speech that mt.
ated the movement for the harmony OF
The Democratic party that was then Oh.
yided upon this same federal issue OF
finance.
The truth is that my attention was no,
seriously directed to the subject uhtil
was solicited to make publication OF my
views in favor of the harmony OF 'nt
Marty. and that was not done by Il Sou
man, nor at the instance OF my Oh wv
gold men, but, rs then supposed, from
the prompting of silver men; linen, ioi
the first time, l undertook the inyestiga
ton of the proceedings of the Dudley
committee ut Austin, in the earnest eiior'
to find something in them upon when I,
formulate " plan for the harmony, oil
the party to the extent ut least of enabllnS
the party MS whole to act together IL
surnort of the government of the state oi
Texas. found that even impracticablt
unless the plan of organization, as pro
vided 10y the Dudley committee, was sc
modified by the leaders of the silver wing
as TO allow the so-called gold Democrats
TO exhibit and have the benefit within
the party of their strength in proportion
to their numbers in the state, in both the
financial question and in the nomination
of state executive officers, rs they could
have done under the long established
rules of the party organization, as hereto
fore practiced in the state. Thereupor
| Immediately prepared and had pub
lshed my address of the 10th of last
month in the Austin Daily Statesman, tC
show the necessity of such modification
if the silver wing desired or would con
sent to the harmony of the party. Hav'
ing waited sufficient time for such 4
desire to be publicly manifested, | wit.
messed an abundance of it on the part of
the so-called silver Democrats, but il