The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-02


iorm OF 1876. ;. Secure a copy oil the acts
Of tie regular and called sessions OF the
twenty fifth legislature. 3. Compare thn
specific demands Of the enc with the spe-
citic demands OF the other as MAS dono in
standardization to The Houston fos. OF
August !. 1898, and It will be found that
every pledge save one made by the dcni-
oeiacy In 1885 was faithfully redeemed by
the last legislature. acting in conjunetion
with the governor OF the state. When the
nninbtr OF the promises made 10 considered.
the record is Bound to be pronounced .re-
mMkabic. challenge comparison With
the record OF any other dominant party In
any other State In the American Union.
II may be said adyisedly that such marked
fidelity to party pledges has never been
surpassed. has never been cQunlled III the
history OF any political organization Why
dwell upon this subject longory Their first
assignment of errors Is positively denied.
discerning public Ia referred 10 the rec
ords. where the truth, as stated here, may
be ascertaincd. Popuiism pleads guilty TO
political ignorance in making such .
charge.
but 1t Is alleged that democracy war
pledged to reduce the number OF judicial
districts and 1t has Increased them No
siuiit the truth OF this one. and only cae.
OF their assignment OF errors, This dlificul-
~ surrounding the judicial redistrictins Of
the state can not be appreciated by those
Who have never undertaken the work In
deed. the growing population and increas-
lng litigation of the state may permit IN
equalization OF the labor OF the existing
judges. but the number In my Judgment,
can never be safely reduced, On Apri! u,
1891 | laid the Joint committee redtstrlct-
ing bill before the house OF representa-
tives and held II as pending business for
one month Becoming convinced that the
bill had 10 chance to pass, | moved. on
May II, 1887, to strike out the enacting
clause so that other important legislation
could be disposed of. The motion pre-
vailed
II will be remembered that the populist
platform of 1896 also declared for a rduc-
ton OF the number OF judicial districts.
Yet the record shows that motion to XIII
the general redistricting bill, which re-
duced the number of districts. by postpon-
ing It indefinitely was made in the house
of representatives on May II. 1897, and five
populist members voted aye and one popu-
list member voted no and one was absent
(eNcusedD. Oh. j.. Reg. ses., 25th Leg.
l23l) On the same day another motion
was made to kill the same bill by striking
out the enacting clause aud two popul'st
members voted aye, three voted no, one alb
sent texcused). III. j., Reg, SEES. 25th
Leg, 1891 This record warrants the eug-
gcstion that populist platform makers, Tor
the sake OF consistency should have Ia
cluded their own representatives in their
sweeping arraignment. Furthermore. II Is
true that the number of judicial districts
was increased by the creation of an I'D
dtional district for Harris county. upuh
the passage of that bill in the house four
populist members voted aye. one voted no
and two were absent (excused). III. j.,
Reg. Sea-, 25tb Leg, 309.) In the senate the
~ tha - st tAtl s1a
popullst senator's Is. j.. Reg SEES, 25th
Leg, 29l.) In view Of the fact that DO. h
PARTIES had In their PLATFORMS the same
demand upon the judicial district question
It appears that the populist arraignment
of the democratic party upon that score
can be turned against them with equal
force. How canst thou say to thy brntb-
er. Brother let me pull out the mote that
is in thine eye, when thou thyself behold
est not the beam that is In thine own
eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the
beam out OF thine own eye, and then shalt
thou see clearly 10 pull out the mote that
is In thy brothers. eye
In the third item Of the arrangement they
1.-THE populists) allege that the democracy
was pledged TO protect the interests of
shippers" but has levied tribute OF all
the traffic will bear, and when violations
Of ITS laws are discovered 1t has COM
promised with the corporations for a pit
tance to the people and an equal or greater
sum to its political henchmen." Under
an appropriation made by the Twenty fifth
legislature information Of certain vlbla-
tons of lhe commission law has been gath
cred and more than 120 suits have been
filed against various Texas railroads and
fines amounting to about $50. 900 have been
paid into the State treasury by such rail-
roads. Other suits are DJw pending. For
every dollar paid out by the State In work.
ing up these prosecutions ten dollars have
been paid into the treasury by the viola
tors OF the law. Mr.. Gibbs, in his Dallas
speech of September II. 1895. calls this
holding up railroads" The mere pit
lance" complained of In the populist plat
form is in the opinion OF their candidate
for the governorshiP high-handed rob-
berry, In convention assembled our friends,
the enemy, complain that a democratic at
torney general dldut get enough out OF
the railroads, bu. Compromised with the
corporations for pittance." while their
chosen leader on the stamp asserts that the
compromises were veritable hold up,
and he assigns that as one Of the outrages
| which forced him out OF the democratic
camp. Leaving the distinguished gentle =
man the unpleasant and unexpected duty
OF harmoniziug his views with HIS platform.
the democracy In convention assembled
indorses THE acthcn of the attorney general
as wise and patriotic.
Before drspping this branch OF the ques-
ton | deny that any so-called democratic
henchman has received ''an equal or greater
sum- of money as result OF these com
promises. Populists have made this
charge. The name cf the ''henchman" or
.nenchmen,' is donna nded. The people
VIII not permit 4 great political organiza-
ton 10 be damned by mere assertions.
Populists must give the name or names Of
the man % men who have corruptly profssei
By these Official transactions; they must
then produce the proof, otherwise they
stuftliy themselves and bring rep-oach
upon their organization. But has the de-
mocracy levied tribute OF ali C'he traffic
will bear?" Freight rates have been
higher in Texas than they are now. hence
1t is clear that the traffic has barne and
could yet bear higher tribute than Is now
imposed In 1894 Judge Nugont said that
the commission law WAS wee and just
measure. bus populists are uompiic In theiI
principles and today they oppose The COM
mission. You are told that nothing has
/ been accomplished n the regulation OF
freight rates. II may be truthfuly con
tended that great deal has been done
and a great deal is yet 20 be done by tlt