The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-14
THE HOUSTON POST IS THE
STATESMAN'S MEAT; HANDS
OFF, NEWS.
OFF, NEWS.

The Houston Post shelters itself against
the argument of The Statesman with the
facts specified to back the argument thai
the Posts tergiversations, its support
of platform and its support of the meI
that kicked that platform from under
them and its denunciations of the Dudley
committee and its servile support of Dud
ley rule rendered it incapable of speaking
for Democrats; shelters itself from al
this by calling names and pretending tC
think that The Statesman is weak by
reason of age.
1t does not try to rcfute the facts stated
by The Statesman because it knows il
has been convicted, and it stands dumb
on the indictment, afraid to plead mot
guilty" The Post exhibits more con
science in this respect than we had given
it credit for having. The Post may call
The Statesman an "old lady," grand
mother" and in doing so it belittles
itself, for the public will say to it, "Why
did you let an old grandmother Jake you
across her lap and spank the stuiling out
been able, in all your youthful vigor to
Justify yourself against the home thrusts
of the ancient grandmother of Democ-
racy." The Post pretcnds to think the
editor of The Statesman has lost his yigor
of intellect, but it does not believe any
such thing. The Post is rs afraid of The
Statesman as the devil is of holy water,
because, in its heart of hearts, it knows
The Statesman is right, and the Post
has just shadow of independence left,
just enough to long for the independence
of thought and action of The Statesman
and to hate the Dudley ring that it wears
in it's nose. A fellow may wear n ring,
but he hates it. You ask how do we
know this, and we answer, because the
Post has put The Statesman on the same
plane with Governor Roberts and has
attempted to bclitte both of them, and
everybody knows as well as the Post
that Governor Roberts strongest points
are bis intellectual yigor, his moral and
political integrity and his high personal
character.
We are content to stand where the Post
puts us, side by side with Governor Rob
erts, and we can afford, standing on that
altitude, to smile at the puny efforts of
the Post. Let any disinterested man
take Governor Roberts recent writings
and compare them with the editorials Of
the Post. Let any unprecedented man
take the editorials of The Statesman and
put them side by side with the editorials
of the Post, and read them at the same
sitting. That is all we ask you to do,
and we will be content with the verdict
rendered.
When the Post attempted to belittle
the intellect and personal integrity of
Governor Roberts by declaring his intel
lect was impaired by age and that he
had lost his moral integrity and submit
ted to be used as n tool by the designing
politicians, we did use strong language.
We felt n just Indignation, as every man
in this state who respected high charac-
ter felt, although they might differ with
Governor Roberts on one of the leading
questions of the day: and in
our just contempt for the bastard
ly attack on Il great man. we
used words that would sting and
burn in administering proper rebuke to
such presumption. If The Statesman was
the only newspaper besides the Post in
the state, we would not stand by quietly
and see the Post stab such a man as Gov
ernor Roberts with a poisoned dagger or
befoul the grand old man with its envious
slime from the cesspool of its political
habitat.
Outside of the Posts personal attacks
on Governor Roberts and our defense of
him, although he needed none, we have
accused the Post of declaring that bud.
ley was false to his party and then wear.
ing Dudley's collar meekly and humbly
We have accused the Post of sustaining,