The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-01-14

but prior to the disposition of any bust
ness he would ask the house to join the
Rev. DR.. George Briggs in prayer
All the members and those in the lob
by stood while DIR. Briggs delivered
most eloquent prayer.
Secretary Madden appointed George
w. Finley of Tarrant reading clerk and
Marshall Burney journal clerk and the
| eight candidates for sergeant-at-arms,
to that position temporarily, for the pur-
pose of perfecting the organization of the
house.
| After the roll was called and each men,
| Der answered as their name was called
after which the oath of Office was admin
| istered by Secretary of State Madden.
/ The next in order being the election of
q speaker, the Hon. Ham Ward of
| Travis arose and presented the name of
the Hon. L. T. Dashiell in the following
| eloquent speech:
Mr.. Secretary-The hour has now ar
rived when it becomes our duty to select
| presiding officer for this body. The DO
sition of speaker is an Office of high re-
sponsibility, of the utmost Importance. of
great dignity and honor. To be elected
| speaker of this house is an honor of which
| any man may feel proud. The duties of
this office are grave, varied and complex.
The maintenance of proper order and de-
corum, and the dispatch of business are
almost dependent upon the speaker. A
speaker should be man of exalted char
acter, of unbounded patriotism, of firm,
unbending decision of character, yet of
civil and courteous bearing; he should
possess a broad, catholic, conservative
mind, with liberality of views sufficient
to enable him to rise above the tempta-
ton, to, regardless of merit reward
friend. or punish an enemy. 1t is essen
tial that he should be good parliamenta-
rian, so as TO be able to decide quickly,
and to command respect for his ruling.
1t affords me unbounded pleasure upon
this occasion to be able to present to you
for this high office, a gentleman in whom
are combined in an unusual and in
most pre-eminent degree each and all of
the above attributes, in the person of the
Hon. l.. r. Dashiell of Leon county. Mr..
Dashiell is native Texan, who loves his
state and whose highest ambition is to
promote her welfare and her glory. He
is graduate of the University Of Texas
an institution that was an offspring of the
early fathers of Texas, and at all times
an object of their earnest solicitude, and
now the just pride of this great state He
was member of the Twenty-third and
Twenty-fourth legislatures, and by his
statesmanlike conduct in those bodies he
commanded the admiration and the re-
spect of all. His views are broad, liberal.
safe, patriotic and conservative. He is
born parliamentarian. and even as Il
boy, he was recognized as an authority
upon that subject. Though young man
he is experienced in all the affairs of state,
and his friends proudly present him to
you as statesman and philosopher. He
is always fair and impartial, and in the
formation of his committees you will see
that he will observe the good old demo-
cratic rule, of special privileges to none,
but equal and exact justice to all, ami
mated alone by the purpose of honoring
alike all sections of Texas, resulting alone
in the promotion of the veal of this great
commonwealth. He has ever been true.
loyal and steadfast democrat, having
never Bonded the knee before false po-
litical idols, or followed the teachings of
false gods. In the last campaign his SER
vices were invaluable in contributing to
the overthrow in this state Of populism
and republicanism, and in overwhelming
with condign defeat the Mckinley Aid
society, impertinently miscaled the ma
tional Democracy. He has high appre-
citation of the honor that is now foregone
that you will confer upon him. and he
will show his gratitude by an impartial
and faithful performance of duty. When
this session shall be about to dissolve,
and SOnder clock will admonsh us that
our labors are done and the parting hour
is near that will then sever ties and
friendships that will have then become
tender and true, hazard nothing in pre-
dieting that at that moment this house
will say to him. "well done, good and
faithful servant" and that from our
hearts we will express in words to him
that when he returns to his home in Leon
hot ba will With o,,r
ship, our admiration, our respect and es-
teen.
Representative Wharton of Erath pre-
scented the name Of ]. G. Burney of
Kerr
$3.50 Szssss>a.- -'-------- - -r>