San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-07-20
THE STATE CHAIRMAN.

OF the Texas republicans and a dis
position among the best elements
of both wings to come together,
there should be no unnecessary OBJ
stacles laid in the way of q compact
union. Among the agitating causes
which have always operated to
work division among the republic
cans OF the state, the filling OF the
office of state chairman ranks first.
That seat has been a bone Of con-
tention for score of years, and 1t
has never been filled by any one
who was not opposed in his work
by faction of the party. 1t is
time that this division over the
leadership of the party in Texas
should come to perpetual end. If,
as is announced, the present chair
man, DR.. Grant, is going to push
his claims for reelection, then
there is no hope OF peace for an
other two years. DR.. Grant has
held the Office one term and
before its expiration he has been
honored with the election to the
national committee. This is
great honor, and one which usu-
ally carries with it a prompt res
ignation as state chairman. There
are several reasons why the men,
Der of the national committee
from the stat e of Texas should not
be its state chairman. Among
these are the possibility of a con-
Fiction of duties and interests, not
to put it any stronger. The men,
Der of the national committee has
duties so distinct and separate
from those OF the state chairman
that, in active campaign work,
it is not practicable to do the
work of both Offices we'll. But
there is q much stronger reason
for the division of these offices
and their being filled by separate
officers, and one OF these is the
possibility of the acts of the state
chairman being passed in review
by the national committee, in
which case it would be far better
il the state chairman were not
member of that committee.
Not only so, there is moth.
ing in the nature of the
case that requires the same indi-
vidual to assume so much auth
ority in the party, and it is emin-
emily safer and wiser to distribute
the honors and the powers among
a number than to concentrate
them in one individual. To do
this latter leaves the party in the
state open either to the charge of
being run by boss, or having no
material in it out of which to
create officers. In this present |
case there is stronger reason than
any of these, and this is that the
present chairman is the leader of
one faction Of the party in this
state. AS such head he has been |
engaged in a strife that has stirred
the party to its deeps, and now
that the factions are inclining
to come hsrmoniously together
for the common good it
is not only emlnently fit and
proper that the heads OF all
the factions should take a back
seat, but it is indispensibly neces-
sary II union is to follow and
hearty cooperation Of all the for
ces of the party. 1t is sincerely to
be hoped for the good Of republic
canism in Texas that the fight be-
tween the factions will not be
again brought on by either OF the
heads OF the present division or
any of their prominent lieutenants
coming for ward as candidates for
the state craftsmanship. There is
just as good timber in the party,
outside Of any Of these as these are,
and it would be wise, proper, con-
sentative, and good party business
to put forth q man not in any way