The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-27

many OF his former supporters to the
ranks OF his opponents. Two years ago
he was admittedly the strongest factor In
Texas politics Today his strength is an
uncertain quantity. Those who still adj
here to him claim that one stcntorian
blast OF his bugle will again rally the
masses around him. while some OF his
former lieutenants are eager for an OPP
portunity to assist In his complete down
fall.
HoGG's CALCULATING METHODS.
Hogg is not q coward. personally or
politically. He is the most adrolt politi-
clan that ever came to tho surface In
Texas. His popularity was built upon the
seeming boldncss and audaclty OF the man.
Better than any other politician In Texas
he knows the value OF spectacular dis
plays before the public Apparently spon-
taneous In all that he does, In fact he is
never SO. He gets close to the people be-
cause he always Interests and entertains
them. He Is never dull. Nature made
him a comedian and without any other
avenue open for his talents, he drifted
naturally into opera boufie politics. His
| late performance on the stage OF Tammany
illustrates the manner and methods OF
tho man. Those who know him under
stand very well that he played DELHI
crate and carefully studied trick on the
| tiger, not because he has any antipathy to
Tammany, whose chief he escorted on Il
pleasure trip through Texas With marks
of the highest favor but because he want
ed to climb on Mr.. Bryan's anti-expan-
sion band wagon In way that would not
be humiliating TO himself,
| In the late democratic State convention
Governor Hogg was an ardent expanslonist
He made two hours' speech for expan-
sion that was cheered to the echo, and
advocated taking everything in sight that
belonged to Spain. III anybody objects.
shouted he--and then he put his hand
on his hip pocket with wink and grim
ace that excited a cyclone of applause
All of this is still fresh in public memory
Mr. Bailey was at the convention and
! took few swipes at the big ex-governor.
I II was not the first time they had clashed.
/ They ran amuck az the state convention
( of 1926. II required no special cause to
widen the breach between them. They
are natural enemies and they are rivals
for the leadership OF the Texas democ-
racy. Hogg is unwilling for any man to
! hold the position of justice OF the peace
I In border county who does not recognize
/ him as his political sovereign. Bailey
wouldn't bow the knee TO any one.
MEN NATURAL. ENEMIES.
Whenever the two men come across each
other they both begin to scowi. The State
of Texas, big as 1t is, isn't big enough
to hold both OF them as political factors.
/ II Bailey goes to the senate over Chiffon,
Hogg's friend and appointee, Hogg VIII
be done for and when he is done for po-
| litcally it win hurt him professionally. IL
Bailey is beaten no other man need meas
ure lances with Hogg. because Bailey Is
the only man in Texas politics who can go
to the forks of the creek with Hogg and
get his share of the applause. In truth,
he is the only politician in Texas who
isn't afraid of Hogg in any sense OF the
word. Instead of flinchlng from the in
evitabe fight Bailey Is disposed to force
it and to make the issue straight from the
shoulder against Hogg. He rather likes
a heated personal campaign. Several years
ago the populists in his district put mp
against him d sealwart local preacher
named Browder, who had the reputation
of a bully, and he was encouraged by the
Cleveland faction to make a savage per-
sonal assault on Bailey--that Is, he did so
once in a joint debate. The result sur
prlsed both Browder and the audience.
Browder was so shocked that he refused
to meet Bailey on the stump again, alleg
ing that he was too personal. The at
mosphere became so warm for him that he
finally emgrated from Texas
Hogg is a burlesquer, but not debater
He mimics people, calls them hard names
strips down to his shirt and that open II
'front.' and winks at his audiences in
manner that no cartoonist could copy
He towers above the crowd like an inverted
Sphinx wearing a padded bellyband, and Ii
altogether unique, original and explosive
When he meets an ordinary man on Thu
stump he Just effaces him, SO to speak
with grimace, and browns him in snick-
err. Then he proceeds to read extracts
from newspapers, with one eye on his