The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-08
MAI. CHAS. |. EVANS SPOKE AT
M'KINNEY. TEXAS,
YESTERDAY.
some TELLING TRUTHS PROP0UNDED
Man Can Be Republican With
out In Any Sense Losing
His Self Respect.

10 hear the speech of Mai. Chas.
Evans of Dallas. Texas. The major
was formerly democrat. but is now
allied with the republican party. hi,
political faith having undergone Il better
In"nt. His speech today commanded
universal attention and approval. He
spoke in full as follows:
Fellow Citizens-It has been thought
proper that | should present for your con,
sideraton upon this occasion some of the
reasons why II southern man, who has
been reared in the old democratic faith
can he Il republican without FORGETTING
his self respect without doing violence
10 his manhood and without SHINING
against the traditions of his ancestors.
In DONG so | shall speak to you from
the standpoint of one whose every pulse
ihrob is laden with pride in the glory
and renOwn of southern soldiers and
southern statesman. whose every heart
beat is filed with hope for the pros
pcrity of our beautiful southland and
the happiness of her brave and
-chivalric people speak to you from
the standpoint of one imbuad with the
conviction that southern men are the
noblest and bravest. and southern women
Dhe most beautiful and virtuous in the
world. l speak to YOU from the stand
point of one who has shared In the glory
OF southern arms on many bloody field,
rejOiced in her victories and went in her
defeat. and who has shared all the
preJudices, political and sectional, which
ihe most extreme southern man ever
cherished. When but mere STRIPPING
4 marched TO battle in defense of the
sovereignty of the states under the
SiniShtliest leader who ever sought re-
nown upon the tented field When the
t0csln of war sounded. the brave sons
0t the south tlocked 10 her standard. and
/ was in their midst. For four long
wears the unequal contest was waged
ana the glory of southern arms llumines
the brightest pages of American history
anu is sung in the remotest bounds of
earth. Upon the bloody fields of car
mage have witnessed all the horrors of
war, / have seen my dearest friend fall
~ thc fearful charge with cheer for
victory upon his dying lips. have felt
Fhe glow and enthusiasm of the con-
qneror in the deadly assault. as well as
the chagrin and humiliation of defeat. |
nave seen our beloved land torn and
rent by the cruel hand of war. and its
incoming fields made dcsolate as with
mighty engines of destruction. But
what wrung my heart more than any or
All OF these, | have seen the tears and
t1eard the lamentations of the mothers.
Nhe widows and the orphans of our own
sOuthland as they mournpd the loss of
Their loved ones who filled the graves
oil heroes. In the darkest hour of the
unhappy struggle | saw the black cloud
.0f war roll away. but the desolate
homes. the ruin and destruction gave
Jittle hope for the future. | went with
You when the stars and bars were furled
IN defeat: but, thank God. not in dis
honor. With the return of peace. the
brave sons of the south Don displayed
the same indomitablc spirit of energy
Tor which they had ever been distin-
;snished. Crushed in spirit and broken
in fortune as they were, their efforts i'm
building up, the waste places and re-
operating from the ravages of the war
were most phenomenal. But they could
not have succeeded so well by their own
nnaided efforts.
Viewing the conditions then existing.
AFTER the lapse of time sufficient to dis
pei The slamor of prejudice. candor COM
pels us TO admit that the facts of history
SHOW that whatever degree of prosperity
The south has enjoyed in the past thirty
wears has been the direct result of the
prevalence of the policies of the repub-
mean party Ill national affairs. These
policies predominated in the control of the
government from 1861 to 1892. during
four years of which the country
WAS IN the throes of the most
gigantic civil war of modern times. But
Notwithstanding the difficulties engen-
sieTed by these adverse conditions. il was
able 10 successfully cope with the war.
span The continent 10y the construction
of railroad from ocean To ocean: and
within short time after the close of hos
tlilues begin TO pay off the national debt
incurred by the war, and kept it up AT a
most unprecedented rate until 1892. when
the government again passed into the
control of the democratic party. Since |
then the payments on the national debt |
nave ceased. the expenditures have large |
ly exceeded the revenues. and for the |
nrst time since 1860. the administration |
pf the government has heon embarrassed |
with heavy deficiencies. From 1860 to |
1892 under the application of the prip- |
ciples of the republican party. our own |
state proSpered as no other country ever |
did before. Capital flowed into our Dor |
terS from the northern states and from |
foreign countries. and sought profitable |
ihNtNNui'ut III lHt utNt.Olnlput or our |
resources a perfect net
work of railroads soon covered the great |
er part of our vast territory. and numcr- |
Gus industries sprang into existence and |
as if touched 10y the enchanter's |
wand. But behold the disastrous change |
as soon as the democratic party is re- |
stored TO power. All around us are evil |
dences of the whitening blast of the ST. |
rocco. and our industries have shrunk |
and disappeared as If stricken by the |
paralyzing hand of death. No man who |
Is not blind with passion and prejudice |
can witness the destruction of our cat
de. wool. lumber and sugar industries in |
Texas without knowing the cause. Not |
only have individual fortunes been swept |
away. hut the state has been deprived |
Of vast revenues from taxes on immense |
nerds, and many counties in western |
Texas have become bankrupt on account |
Of the depreciation in the taxable values |
OF their lands. in fact from their abso- |
lutte inability 10 collect taxes. for the |
can not be maintained on |
taxes which are not collected. and for |
the noh-payment of which the lands are |
sold from year TO year. and bought in hy |
the government. These conditions were |
never known in Texas during the time |
when the policies of the republican party |
dominated the national administration. |
Notwithstanding the prostration caused |
10y The civil war. for twenty-five years !
after lis close, the material progress and |
of nur c,o,o 80. a. 49,. |