The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-03

(ay GEORGE D. ARMIsTEAD.)

DAllaS, IexaS, DeccmpcI . NS'"" 49,
ial. THE contest for Senator Horace Chill
toms mantle has actively begun. The
Tyler statesman has swung around several
circles. shaking hands and submitting 10
intrviews and announces that he Is con-
fident." Congressman Bailey, his only an-
nounced opponent has made number OF
speeches In various parts OF the State
and his friends state that they are Ger
TAIN" In addition they have had red
hot joint debate.
Thus, nearly year in advance, tho
struggle for the greatest political present
within the gift Of the people OF Texas
is well on and prophecies and claims are
already being made The campaign is
Sizing.
The contest already presents its ludi-
crous features. clip from recent issue
of Farmer Shaw's paper the following:
Abstractly considered, primary destions
would commend themselves. In the iight OF
experience, however, they are a failure AS
party test for choice OF candidates, primary
elections are in no sense II safe guide. Whetc
they are invoked for choice candidates Tor
State offices, they are absolutely great
afliction upon candidates. They render nee
essary r precinct, IL not house-to- house can,
vass. No man not in possession OF q barrei
can afford the expense OF a campaign. inc
primary election virtually rules out poor men
as candidates for office. They can not
AFFORD the expense. The good old rule
proved upon. In such cases you know who
is voting. You are not left to guess as to
whether all participants are democrats or
republicans as the case may be. In pri-
mary election you know little about the
political Scomplexion of votes. In cities this
is especially the case. All sorts of political
nondescripts participate In primary elections.
As test of party fealty or party choice.
primary election is fraud and failure.
To my mind this is at once the most
significant and the most laughable move
yet made in the Bailey Chiffon race,
Senator Chiffon and an ardent opponent
of Congressman Bailey. He is Cheek by
jowl" with Ex-Governor Hogg and is FREE
quently the latter's voice and organ in
one. The significant part OF his editorial
against primary elections is the fact that
Farmer Shaw, without much doubt knows
that both Senator Chiffon and Governor
Hogg do not desire primary elections TO
decide next years senatorial contest. There
is little doubt but that the Texas Farmer
editorial quoted above Is a "feeler'' and
that more like 1t are to follow. This is
| what the Farmers sudden opposition
/ to primaries means Now. for the ludicrous
part of it.
Scarcely more than a year ago there
was not in the entire State of Texas a
more devoted admirer of primary elections
than this same Farmer Shaw. He WAS
one OF Major Sayers' leutenants in the
gubernatorial campaign of last year and
on every stump raised up his voice loud
and long in demanding State primaries as
the means of determining democracy's
choice. Then he believed, as he often
stated. that primaries would be beneficial
TO the candidacy of the present governor
and nobody connected with the Sayers
campaign asked for primaries with more
energy and zeal than Farmer Shaw. lie
denounced primary conventions and county
conventions as the source of all kinds OF
political fraud and classed them as some-
thing altogether too unholy for a good
democrat to become contaminated with.
His present attitude means something.
~
There is yet another phase to this affair
Because Congressman Bailey refused to
be bound by the action of a State con-
vention on purely National issue Farmer
Shaw and other Chiffon ''leftenants" have
been industriously and perniciousy calling
him a "bolter" The question of impe-
rialism, called Expansion" by Farmer
Shaw, Is not a question, and can not be-
come SO, for settlement by a State con-
ventlon. For authority on this issue DEM
ocrats must look to the party's National
platform. No State convention had any
authority whatsoever, to bind Mr.. Bailey
or any other democrat to its way of think
ing on this question. But Farmer Shaw's
memory is good only when it suits him,
or his friends. The same convention that
Farmer Shaw land other Chiffon mem ac-
cusc Mr.. Bailey of "bolting" adopted a
resolution almost without dissent de-
| claring in favor of primary elections for
all State officers and asking the State
committee to recommend to the various
county committees that they order prims-
ries throughout the State on the same day.
This is purely and solely State question
upon which the Galveston convention had
supreme authority, Let democrats ask
themselves: who is boiling nowg"
~
Can 1t be possible that Senator Chiffon.
Colonel Hogg and Farmer Shaw are afraid
of primaries? Can 1t be that they are so
afraid that they are willing to "bolt"
Ia favorite word with Farmer Shaw.
Messrs. Imboden. Buie and others) the ac-
ton of State convention in order to gain
what they hope will be an advantage to
themselves? AS for Mr.. Bailey, he stands
squarely upon the resolution adopted al
Galveston. He believes with democrats al
most everywhere that an honest primary,
and all would be honest, is the safest
and surest way of learning party's choice.
Men who oppose primaries ara usually
| afraid of the people. This may explain
Farmer Shaws change of heart. Per-
haps Senator Chiffon is not willing to
risk his fortunes in a fair field and an
open fight with Mr.. Bailey. have heard
the latter declare that his first act upon
the formal opening of his campaign will
be TO invite Senator Chiffon to join with
him in asking the State committee to
closely follow the recommendation Of the
Galveston convention. He and his friends
stand upon the State democracy's action
they desire primaries and are willing TO
enter the lists to get what they want.
Farmer Shaw and other Chiffon men will
give no other reasons for wanting conven-
lions than the fallacies contained In the