San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-20
SAMUEL L. HAHN.

The Man Who Should Be the Next
Collector of the Port of Galveston.
S. L. Hahn, taxpayer for the land de-
partment of the Texas and New Or
leans railroad, with headquarters at
San Antonio spent yesterday and last
night in Beaumont, and departed this
morning for Houston. Without excep-
ton there is not a man in the state
who lives outside of Beaumont who is
more popular than Sam Hahn. He has
been known to the people of Beau
mont and Orange since 1881, and no
man can say aught against him. Mr..
Hahn came to Texas in 1881 and secur-
ed position as brakeman on the Tex
as and New Orleans with a run be-
tween Houston and Orange, and was
next the agent of the company at Or
ange in 'S2. His earnest, jealous work
won the recognition and commenda-
ton of his superiors and he was rapid
ly advanced until in 'S5 he was APP
pointed taxpayer of the land DEPART
ment of the Texas and New Orleans.
which position he has filled in a highly
satisfactory manner from that time
up to the present.
Mr.. Hahn is a Republican from the
ground up; president of the Republi-
can League clubs of Texas and was
one of the most ardent admirers of
Mckinley in the last campaign. He
aspires to the collectorshfp of the port
at Galveston, and if there is one man
in the state more deserving of the
honor and more capable of filling the
position in a satisfactory manner than
another that man is Sam Hahn. He is
conversant with the laws and regula-
tions governing such a position and
his honesty of purpose and fidelity to
duty are as we'll known in-Texas as is
Mr. Hahn himself.
Another feature to be regarded in
this matter is that no man residing in
Galveston holding property there
should be appointed to this position,
for a good and sufficient reason. The
ports at Sabine Pass and Velasco are
under the jurisdiction of the collector
at Galveston. 1t is only in consonance
with the generally accepted belief in
the faults and frailties of humanity to
lead us to infer-and upon good ground
that a Galvestonian would favor
Galveston at the expense of Sabine
Pass and Velasco. Such has been the
case for the past twelve years while
Galveston men have held the office.
The first man appointed to the office
of collector of the port of Galveston
after the reconstruction era" was ex-
Governor Pease, of Austin, in 1868. At
that time Galveston was practically
the only port of entry under his juris-
dictiOn. Next came s. H. Shields, of
Marlin, in 1872. The same conditions
existed under his administration. In
1876 Nathan Patton, of Waco, was ap-
pointed and the conditions remained
practically the same. About the time
of the appointment of General Malloy,
of Jefferson, in 1880, the question of
deep water at Sabine Pass was first
seriously taken up and discussed.
During his four years administration
the Sabine Pass matter was thorough
ly canVaSsed and about the time of his
retirement in 1884 the first appropria-
ton Of any amount was secured from
Congress. This caused considerable
agitation in Galveston and the result
was that every force was brought to
bear to secure the appointment of a
Galveston man. This was accomplish
ey, of Galveston, in 1884. Naturally his
sympathies were with Galveston and
Sabine Pass sufferd in consequence.
Sabine, Pass received another black eye
when n. w. Quincy, the "Cullud gen.
tleman," was appointed to the office
in 1888. During Cuney's term the Vel
asco, too, got ii where Mary wore the
beads" The last straw was added
when G. p. Finley, of Galveston was
appointed in 1892. Sabine Pass and
Velasco continued to get the worst of
it, throughout his career up to the
present writing.
These conditions must change. Sa+
bine Pass today has at least a foot
more water on her bar than has Gal
weston, and is rapidly coming to the
front as a shipping point despite the
unjust discrimination against her.
Velasco's almost utter collapse can be
attributed to the same cause.
The ports of Galveston and Sabine
Pass being in two different congress
sional districts make the COllectOrship
a state appointment. Mr.. Hahn stands
first on the list as to chance of appoint
ment and only an unlimited amount of
Galveston Doodle can defeat him.
Doodle or no Doodle, merit or no mer-
it, Samuel L. Hahn is the man who
has earned the right to ask for the of
flee in consideration for what he has
done for the party in this state, and
what is still better he is a rank out
slider" as to GalvestOnian tendencies
and will, we believe, show even and
exact justice to all. AS to his chances
of securing the appointment well,
Wen play him against the field
Beaumont Enterprise.