The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-01
'GRANT SAYS THAT POPULISM is
BETTER THAN THE STATE
RING.
his PARTY HAS No STATE TICKET
Therefore He Will Cheerfully Vote for
and Throw His Influence for the
Populist Ticket in the Hopes of
Downing the Capitol Ring.

Dallas, Tex, Sept. 29.-(Special)-
Chairman John Grant of the organi-
cation bureau of the republican
headquarters today gave the press the
following open letter bearing on the
fusion question. 1t is self-eXplanatory
81 notice that in some of the newspapers
of the state | am charged with now favor
ing the populist state ticket and there are
expressions of disparagement assigned
to me- alleged to have been made against
the populists during the last campaign.
which seems to demand an explanation.
1t is now charged that | then said: AS
between populism and democracy, L
would prefer democracy | am now said
to favor the populist nominee instead Of
the democratic ticket, and surprise is eX-
pressed in view of my previous express
sions. l plead guilty to the charge of
having attempted to keep our members
from supporting any other party. In the
last campaign l opposed the idea of the
republicans supporting populist doctrines
and did speak rather more favOrably of
party. | did it, first, for the reason that
to increase the size of political party
il is necessary to maintain its integrity,
otherwise disintegratlOn and weakness
will result; and, as state chairman, l
considered it my duty to preserve its au-
tonomy. Second, at that time the demo-
cratic party, both state and national had
adopted and were standing on sound
money platforms, and were in the main
4 -, hat NOT
sarily fatal to all the institutions OF our
government and country. At the time
| took the position referred to the pres
ent administration was not in power,
but was posing for election, and at that
time taxes had not been raised, nor had
taxable values. In the state 1t has been
demonstrated that to foster the interests
of the citizen, to prevent the total de.
struction of the standing and credit OF
the state both at home and abroad, to
keep it from financial wreck, to keep the
school fund, which is and should be as
sacred as our family honor, from being
depleted and preyed upon by pilfering
greed and INSCRIPTIONS harpie, we must
have a change. The once vaunted sur.
plus that was once the pride OF us all
has gone to dust, and in its stead SoOo,
600 of debt. With economy promised,
we find increased valuation forced by
the tax assessor, when depreciation mas
really taken place, upon which an IN
creased rate of taxation is levied, pro
ducing an increased revenue, IN the race
of which we find deficit and DEBT. Inc Inc
.S25OO retainer fee is but an accidental
glimpse we get at the methods used to
rob the citizen of the money he pays III
the shape of taxes, which he frequently
has to stint his business or family to OBJ
tain. The highest law of God or man
is here invoked-that of self-preserva-
tion-and for that we propose to nave
change at Austin. We are hghtlng;.
battle for our firesides, for our famllles
and our commonwealth. Almost any
change we can make will be an improve
ment. Then, what will it be? The re-
publican party has no state ticket, the
sound money democrats have none, but
the populists have. | am not an advo-
cate of populism, for my political bible
has the code of principles advocated by
the republican party, but, like thousands
of democrats who have parted company
with the Austin oligarchy, l am willing,
for patriotism and self-defense, to deteal
the Austin ring with such weapons as
are at our command. | am not hatlst,
nor am | in favor of irredeemabe
CURRENCY. as are my populist friends,
but | am in favor of an honest and fair
administration of the state government,
which we can not get with the present
parties in power, so for that reason !
am for Jerome Kearby for governor OF
Texas. have known him a long time
and | believe him to be prompted by mn
pulses of honesty and sincerity. and !
feel sure he will administer the affairs OF
state, if elected, as he believes will hest
subserve the interests of the state and
the whole people, regardless of political
creed. Respectfully, >-,r.