The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-02-26
COLONEL HOLT IN FIFTH WARD
Greeted by Large Assemblage of Voters
and Enthusiastically Received.
Third Ward Will Be the Battle Ground Tonight and
the High School Square the Place
of Speaking.

The second meeting OF the Holt campaign
was held last night in the Fifth ward, In
front Of the Pythian hall, at the corner OF
Liberty avenue and Mckee street. where Il
crowd of voters had assembled that was
vsrlously estimated at from 600 TO 500
Before the speaking commenced they were
entertained with music by the Herb q
Lewis band.
The speaking was from stand erected
In front of Bob Jones' store. Mr.. Albert
Rasch acted as master of ceremonies in
introducing the speakers.
The first speaker was Colonel o. r. Holt,
who prefaced his remarks with rcltera-
tlon Of the utterance made in his open
Ing speech in the First ward on Saturday
night that IL elected his platform would
be carried out literally to the best Of
his ability. He could not say specifically
Just how the municipal ownership Of water
and light utilities could be brought about.
but he promised to accomplish 1t in the
way that appeared most feasible and prac-
tical when the propositions were reached.
He regarded the municipal ownership OF
the waite franchise as being OF paramount
Importance, as the securing Of pure water
seriously affected sanitary conditions and
1t was not only important to have pure
water for domestic purposes, but an am
pie supply OF water for FIRE protection.
when the contract with the water
company expires in 1908" continued Colo
mel Holt. ~ believe that the question 10
TO whether or not the franchlAp should "
extended, or the plant purchased, should
be left to q vote of the people aud not
with the council" This declaration was
greeted with enthusiastic applause
But" continued Colonel Holt, "when
the gas eompany's franchise expired when
John S. Stewart was city attorney. the
legal arviser Of the city-that company was
granted a thirty-year extension OF fran
chise with the prize OF gas fixed at 81 50.
and Mr.. Stewart never raised his voice
against It and when new contract was
about to be made with the water com
pany, with John S. Stewart stll in the
employ Of the city, he permitted the city
council, without advising them to the con.
trary, to vote for n new contract, which
would have been perfected had It not been
for an avalanche Of public Indignation,
which caused the council to reconsider Its
action; and Mr.. Stewart never raised his
voice against IT, yet he claims now to be
In favor Of municipal ownership ind "a
great friend OF the lahoring classes,
lie even claims to have been the author
of the lrst labor ordinance ever uas,el
In Houston, d distinction which has al
WAYS been claimed by Mr.. John Kennedy
and whose claim to that distinction l nave
never heard disputed until now.
III AR. Stewart was the city attorney
when that ordinance WAS passed he simply
performed the clerical work Of drafting it,
ordinances are not passed by the city
attorney, but by the legislative branch of
the government, the council"
Colonel Holt urged upon his hearers the
Importance OF exercising their right OF
franchise. III sou 10 not turn out and
vote you have no right TO criucse the re.
suit of the election n 10 does not go to
suit you. 1t Is not only the privilege, but
good government and ! assume thar you
OIL are, TO exercise the right OF suffrage
You can not complain Of conditions mat
you have 1t In your power 70 remedy When
you make no effort TO apply the remedy"
Referring 20 the selection of the e8ui
dates for aldermen on what is k~1wu as
subject NJ criticism by the upro-t ION
Colonel Holt reiterated the statement thlt
these candidates had been selected by the
citizens OF their respective wards ANA
when their views were nscerjalurl ~ boz
In harmony with his upon the subject W
municipal ownership etc, and when they
adopted platform In harmony with hI4
views, ne Endorsed both tbeir plpttorm ana
their candidacy.
III you don't elect mayor ond "a board
Of aldermen who are I'm perfect accom-
you can't even expect to have a hrgltb
officer, the condition now existing being
that man is serving in that position
whom the court Of appeals SAYS Is serving
Illegally, and yet the mayor continues 10
renominate him at every meeting OF the
There is no evidence that any candidate
tnps far announced for alderman is in
accord with the platform as promulgated
by Mr.. Stewart With such q combination
We might very reasonably expect lust such
chaotic condition ms ~ at present pre-
yaii!ng In the city government
AS far as ] know the aldermen who are
running on the platform that | have IN
dorsed are an able, honest and capable
men. Snch Is the reputation OF the candL
dates who stand for election In this ward,
Messrs. Jones and Garvey.
The reputation has unfortunately gone
ABROAD that Houston is a lawless commun.
ity. We must have an administration to
counteract this and TO Insure protection
to life and property You must elect men
whom you know Will enforce the law.
the rumor has beeu- circulated by the
opposition that while / was attorney for
the Houston and Texas Central Railway
company employed negroes. There Is not
q word OF truth IN this and the man who
states II states wilfully what he knows is
not true. In the first place l never was
the attorney for the Houston and Texas
Central Railway company in this county.
though nave represented the company NJ
other points along Its line, but had abso-
lntely nothing to do with the employment
OF labor of any kind"
Colonel Holt concluded by saying that the |
records show that the Indebtedness OF the
city has been increased from year to year
that the city Is now practically bankrupt
as shown by its last annual statement, and