El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-03
TEXAS STATESMEN.
TWO Widely Differing Views of Mr..
Bailey'S Antics.

Under the heading "Old fashioned
statesmapship'th Portland Oregonian
prints the following study of Texas
democratic political leaders:
There IL something in the tradition
of Texas which inclines the public in
stinct to identify the state with the Cy-
clone Davises and the Wild Bills of
politics, rather than with dignified and
high-minded types of statesmanship.
1t is, therefore, somewhat OF q surprise
to find repeated instances of high class
action on the part OF Texas public men.
IL begins to look as IL we have all
along been mistaken about Texas.
There must be somewhere in her body
polite a spirit essentially strong and
wholesome to inspire and support such
courageous opposition to partisan folly
as has recently come from Senator
Chiffon, Governor Culberson, Chief
Justice Garrett, Representative Burke
and others, In connection with the
issues raised by the Spanish war.
In the democratic state convention
held at Galveston on the 4th inst, an
effort was made to commit the party to
the "anti-imperial" doctrine of which
we hear so much just now. The active
man of this effort was Representative
Bailey, leader of the democratic min
GRITTY in congress. and especially con-
spicuous, prior to the beginning of
hostilities, as an ad vocate OF the Span
ish war. Having done much to bring
on the war, Mr.. Bailey is now active
among those who wish to throw away
it's results, turn from the opportunity
il has given US, abandon the duties it
has put upon us, and stultify the Unit
ed States before the world. He be-
longs to a class of cheap politicians
whose motives never rise above
schemes of negative partisan action;
but as the possessor of certain fOren-
sic gift of the boy-orator type, he con-
trives to rally about himself some
elements of party backing, and on all
party occasions to get himself well to-
ward the front.
Mr.. Bailey put up what is called q
''stiff fight in the Galveston conven-
ton, but the supporters of national
progress were too strong for him.
Senator Chiffon took the leading part.
he deprecated any action which might
embarrass the government: he thought
while we were prosecuting a foreign
war was no fit time for'partisans trategy,
he declared the competency of the
United States government to perform
all Its duties without reference to ira
ditious; and he urged the con vention,
by all the motives of patriotism, to put
aside partisan prejudice and look only
to the dutys the honor. and the glory of
the country. Against such serious
and manly council the bOy-oratOry of
Mr.. Bailey fell flat: and by a substsn-
tial majority, the convention adopted
resolutions favoring retention of Cuba
and Porto Rico. For what reason
there is as yet no explanation, the de-
claration opposed retention of the Phi
lippines; and in this respect the action
of the convention is open to criticism.
But this error of policy is too trifing
to mar the merit involved in the gen.
eral attitude of patriotic as opposed to
mere party sentiment.
Much Of the spirit thus manifest had
its origin unquestionsbly in discussion
of the question at issue preceding the
convention, and DO small part OF the
sentiment which triumphed in the vot-
ing was due to the Hon. G. G. Garrett,
chief justice of the state and, of course,
a democrat. In Il public letter printed
ia the Galveston News week before
the convention reprinted in full in
yesterdays Oregonian.) Judge Garrett
took high ground against the "anti-