San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-06-07
FRANK LESLIE's CORRESPONDENT
GIVES THE TRUE STATE.
Tells About the Disgracefnl Quincy Con-
ventiOn and Says the Reform
Party Will Win.

been prominently identified with
the republican politics of that
state writes us in reference to q re-
cent article in these columns in
which comment was made upon the
unnatural alliance reported to have
been effected between the repub-
llcans and populists.
We are glad to learn from this
correspondent that this alliance
includes only a part OF the repub-
lican party of the state, and that
the more intelligent and reput-
able republicans are opposed to
any bargain of the character men,
toned. The faction of the party
which has effected this fusion with
the populists is largely composed
of blacks, under the lead of q
somewhat notorious colored poll
ticisn of Galveston, whose infiu-
ence has in the past been, unques-
tionably, hurtful to the party.
Our correspondent, who gives his
name, and who, we may say, lie a
member OF the Republican State
Executive committee, alleges I'M
qualifiedly that the men who are
in control of the faction now In
alliance with the populists have
made merchandise of their votes
for years past, and by their disre.
putable methods have alienated
all the better element Of the vot-
ing population. He says, more
over, that the party in that state
can never attract the sympathy or
support Of right minded citizens
so long as the national committee
and the republicans OF the north
recognize the element now in con-
troll Of the party in the state. He
cites q number OF instances In
which conventions have been
marked by proceedings OF the most
disgraceful character, some OF
them having degenerated into vio-
lent and bloody physical encount-
ers. He calls attention, too, to the
remarkable fact, as illustrative
of the degeneracy Of the party, that
whereas in 1884 one hundred thou
sand republican votes were cast in
Texas, only fifty-six thousand
were cast in the election OF 1894,
and this in face of the fact that
during the period in question the
population OF the state had in
creased by one million.
As a result Of the mismanagement
of the party by the Quincy faction,
repu blicans who believe In reform
have effected a separate organiza-
ton, and their recent state conven-
ton at Houston included many Of
the representative business men OF
the state, as we'll as good many
negro delegates of the better class.
The writer insists that IL the re-
pubIicans of the north ever expect
to see Texas carried by the repub-
licans they must, at the National
convention at st. Louis, shut the
doors against the mercenary and
disreputsble faction, and seat the
delegates chosen by the reform re-
publicans. This delegation, whose
presidential preferences are not
stated, will be headed by Hon. n.
F. MacGregor, Of Houston. Out.
side OF the regularly-elected dele
gates a delegation of two hundred
prominent citizens will attend the
convention at st. Louis, with
view of presenting the true condi-
ton OF affairs and securing,
II possible, recognition for the in
telligent, right-thinking, patriotic
men who seek to cleanse the party
and establish it upon right founda-
tions. Our correspondent believes
that If proper recognition is az
forded to this element Of the party
it will be immensely strengthened
in the state. There are, he says,
thousands Of democrats who will
vote the republican national ticket
on account OF protection, II men of
clearly character and upright pur-
poses are advanced to its control:
but they will not affiliate with
"the disreputable gang" who have
prostituted the party to their I'M
righteous purposes, and who, by
their disgraceful and vensl meth
DDS, have compelled every man
who respects himself to remain al.
together neutral in political affairs
or to act with the democratic
party.
We are not, of course, able to
vouch for the truth, in every re-
spect, of the statements made by
nor correspondent, but there Is no
doubt at all that in the main he
accurately describes the conditions
which exist in his state, and we
are quite sure that, as we said in q
recent article on the general situa-
ton of republication in the south,
that the party can never acquire
supremacy either in Texas or any