The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-12
|BY THE STAR OF HIS DESTINY


JEFF McIcmore In the Express.
Austin, Texas, January 2. - Governor
Charles A. Culberson seems to be man
OF destiny" Entering public life at .
time when Texas was almost rent asuuder
by political strife, he has gradually forged
to the front until today he occupies The
highest State office within the slit Of the
people Although man OF strung ability
and OF keen political Judgment, and while
| he has made opportunities. still he bus
more or less been favored BY circumstances
as though he were born under a lucky
| star" Securing his first nomination tor
governor over older. II not ADLER politicians.
| he found his path to The execu.iye chair
| beset by trcacherous shoals and rocks. HIS
opening speech at Goliad that year brought
/ down upon his head the wrath. not only or
| the democratic opposition, but ~ many
| democrats as well; still he managed TO
steer his bark safely and success crowned
| bis efforts at the polls. About iis first
work to attract public notice was to write
| a message In which he Administered 4 re-
| we're castigation TO the legislature for it's
dilatoriness While this message fiet With
| the approval OF the people generally, yet It
| excited the enmity Of many of the iegis-
| lators and these were loud In their criti-
| cisms and denunciations OF the governor.
| He next attracted general attention ny
calling the legislature together in extra
ordinary session to pass bill prohibiting
| the Corbett- Fitzsimmons and other prize
| fights from taking place in Texas. fbis
action on the part OF the governor created
a furore throughout the State and 1t gave
his opponents fresh cause for assailing lin
| In every imaginable way But he paid no
attention to these attacks. aud when the
legislature got together they were rrac-
tically unanimous in indorsing his views
mated for the chief place on Ills ticket.
and after the most memorable campaign in
the history ri the State. excepting pcssl-
bly, tho Hogg-Clark contest Of %. he WIS
again triumphant AT the polls, scoring
victory that proved his strength and en-
fitting him to n crown OF laurel ieaves.
Since then he has rapidly grown III favor
with the people, his administration ,royirg
wise, conservative and economical.
When It FIRST became noiaed about that
Governor Cnlberson would become a cans
didate for the United States senate. there
were not lacking people to predict his de-
feet Opposed to him at that time were
Senator Mills and Joe Bailey, and later on
Judge Reagan created a surpfise and Do
lfticsl sensation by also entering the lisis.
But the fatcs were with the governor and
carly in the game" the thorns were some
what removed from Ills path by Joe Bailey
quitting the field and declaring thar he
would not he IN the race for the United
States senate But even this did not leave
the way clear, for Senator Mills and Judge
Reagan were still candidates, and Culbcr-
sons enemies declared that these two
would be able TO tie I'm the Legislature ard
insure the election OF dark horse" But
alasi
1.-THE best laid schemes o. mice and men
Gang aft agley,"
and whom these enemies least expected It
Judge Reagan took their breath away by
Withdrawing from the contest. leaving the
road clear for the man of destins''-
Is still in the race, whatever he may do
later on and Colonel Andrew J. Baker.
present land commissioner. may take a
notion that the people want him to repre-
sent them In the United States senate
nevertheless. II is the general opinion Of
leading politicians that Culberson has
walkover and that nothing short Of a N ra-
Gle. In day when miracles are not rer-
formed, will defeat him
Judge Reagan's withdrawal from the SER
atorial race virtually takes him from the
field of politics. according TO his own pub
lished statement and in thus retiring he
viii have with him the devotion aud esteem
OF a grateful people who Will ever respect
his memory and whose ehiidreus children
VIII recall his name with reverence and |
Win pride. For more than half century |
a servant of the public. he has ever proved |
true 10 the trusts repused in aim, and the |
tact that after 4 long life of frugality and |
economy he finds himself poor in this !
worlds goods as a monument 10 his hon |
esty and Integrity more durable than the |
marble shafts which record the deeds Of |
great and iilustrious men, II In the course !
OF his long public life he has made mis-
takes, they We're mistakes OF the head and |
not OF the heart aud only prove the falli- |
bility OF man. The only surviving r,srnher |
OF the Confederate cabine, around his !
name cluster hallowGd memories, and while |
the most central figure. he stands taaay |
che most loved and most reyered man in |
all Of Texas. Over his past he can look |
back with complacency and without fear |
for bis public acts are monuments alone |
the path OF life and on each is Inscribed |
Honesty and Faithfulness to pntv." His /
name will ever be indissoluhly linked with |
that OF Texas and the South and no correct |
history OF either can ever be written unless |
the life Of John II. Reagan aIorns one az
It's brightest pages.
lie VIII Succeed Mills.
Nacogdoches Chronicle.
Governor Culbcrson has issued an ad-
dress 10 the democracy of Texas formally