The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-11
BAKER NOT. A CANDIDATE,
Commissioner Of Land Office Is Not
Out for the Senate.
lis POLITICAL RECORD At LENGTH.
Takes Tn tho Taritr 10 Prove That
He IL Correct On that PROPOSE
and Culhcrson II wrong.
colonel 4. i. bckcr. Austin. TEXAS.


npsiced In the Dallas News some tilno snce'
that there is probability Of your becom-
Ing a candidate for United States senator,
to succeed Hon. Il. Q. Mills, I have watch
ca. cloAly for your announcement, hut so
far have failed to notice 1t. And conclud-
cd that perhaps YOU are measuring Your
strength before making such announce
ment, Our voting strength, YOU know, is
very small in this part of the State but
know that you Will take particular pride
in securing a solid support from the West,
The section which you call YOUR hcIne, 1t
VII give me much pleasure to see YOU
get this vote. and desire TO SAY thatwnat-
ever can do III your behalf VIII be cheer
fully done.
will admit that your and nav own Views
on the financial question do not cotnciue,
ii the papers have properly quoted you;
bsit,sour course in the matter mas been 50
manly In being wialinE at dii lnies 10 Low
to the viii of your PARTY that can not
ia.i To admire your LOYALTY,
Win best wishes in this or any other
aspirations you may have. | Imam. Nvry
truly, .s \. b anus 4
A. h. yantis. ESQ., Roby. Texas;
Austin Texas. February 3.--My Dear Sir
and Friend. The above highlvS appfe ciated
letter came duly 20 hand. but the complete
monopoly of my time in the lischarse OF
tho public duties Imposed upon mo by tho
high aud most important trust committed
to ME through the paruality of .hotdeino-
Gratis OF Texas. which | have not felt al
liberty to neglect. has prevented me from
ansYering ii until now. /. AS | have reoeiyed
other letters of like import. Which also
have not been answered. I have taken the.
liberty OF replying publicly, ind through
this means all at once. and at the same
time relieve my friends OF any further
solicitude On NV account.
So much of the statement contained in
tbe newspaper TO which YOU refer, IN re-
gard to my probable candidacy, which con.
vcyed the idea that / was preparing my adj
dress, was merely an embellishments pf the
reporter which he. however, inas taSes IN
ferred from our conversation. 10 i q. -
l have decided for the present that viii
not BE candidate for the United States
senate. j VIII not undertake.. however, to
hide the fact that 1t has been the dream
and study of my life 10 be elected to the
senate and feel that could DISCHARGE
The functions OF that position aeceptahly
TO the democrats of Texas. / do not run
because ! do not believe. IN the present po-
Iitical condition of Texas. that l could be
elected
You say that, notwithstanding You do not
agree with me, if5I have been reported
correctly on the financial question, got my
course has been manly In bowling to the
viii Of the party for which expression es-
peclally ] desire to express my gratitude.
Since 1868 l have devoted, in time, money
and speech, my life 10 the interests of the
democratic party, 1 have never but cnco.
in all that time, failed to make speeches in
support OF the party and It's nominees.
That. time was In 1884, during the FIRST
to the State until the spring OF tat year.
notwithstanding the fact tllst 76s tinians
and their satellites interested in deSeatng
me have endeavored to bring odiing upon
me as 1. democrat before the Democratic
masses OF Texas by charging me as being
a .'goIdbug," and not in sympathy with
the party I can say what none Of them
can SAY, that / am, so far as ! have been
able to find out, the only one Of the state
officers or members Of congress who has
faithfully and at all times stood on the
democratic platform since the CHICAGO coa-
yention OF 1892. Because ! understand that
all advocated the free and unlimited cnin-
age OF silver at tho ratio OF 16 to ] before
our platform so declared; and II faithful-
ness and loyalty to party principles, Us an
nounced in PLATFORMS were TO be credited
to any one, surely am the man alone cnti-
Tied TO reward. This, however, 10 not
claim In the connection referred TO We
yer Of equal and intrinsic value with gold.
got on the platform. AT Houston shortly
afterward the delegation put In plank In
favor OF the free coinage OF silver nj the ra-
ito Of le to /. The action OF this latter con-
yentlon was void. except ms a mere express
sion OF opinion OF the delegates, because II
did not have Jurisdiction OF the Question.
that question having been settled at Chs
cago. ] took the stump in favor OF Gov
ernor Hogg and the Houston ticket, not
withstanding had been defeated for COM
gresfional nomination, but announced my
position on that point as stated above. and
supported the Chicago platform in 1894. at
Dallas, when was nominated BY the
democracy OF Texas for my present position,
the convention rcadopted the Chicago plat
form, after It's construction had been made
known by Nr. Cleveland, and at tho same
time tho convention Endorsed Mr.. CLEVELAND
by name. ! got on that platform and lradc
speeches almost every day. beginning on
the 10Th Of September and running down
to the election. While Governor CuIberson
and all others. as far as knew. did rot
so indorsp fha platform. | have been told
that they felt warranted in their failure 70
do so bcause some gentleman In the Dallas
conyentcn stated that the platform could
be accepted by any democrat according TO-
hts own tastes aud construction. This ex-;
cuse will not do. because ITS construction
had already been had and acted upon at
Washington besides. no good lawyer VIII
risk his reputation upoB rule OF conafruc-
ton which permits him TO corsiriia law
by statements or opinions expressed IN Inc
speeches which members OF the legiFlaturc
had made before the vote on the bill
In 1885. It being an of political year..
Mr. Blake. who Il worthy OF any honar
which the democrats ~ Texas could coifsr,
called convention OF the friends o. frees
and unlimited coinage 81 silver % the raj.