Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1906-04-21

p ished like all other criminals. If not
4 true. then we would rejoice in the
fact that Texas is clean. Texas
: should be kept clean. If the people
; control their government. elect their
officers and see to II that they per
, form their duties faithfully. then
Texas can always be kept clean. The
honest officer is never u CRATER. of
: course. The efficient officer is never
, CRATER Therefore efficiency and
honesty should be sought and main
tanned in the public service as the
first requisite.
: While here. as everywhere, organ
lied corporate power is seeking to
fasten its iron hold upon the peoples
government, while the trusts are forg-
ing their merciless shackles upon the
industry and energies Of the patriotic
people OF this commonwealth and
sitting individual effort. while their
uncomfortable and INSCRIPTIONS ally.
machine politics. is plotting and plan.
ming for a government of the corpora
tons, for the corporations and by the
corporations. still there are indica-
tons that the sleeping giant. the
peoples power. is again astir. The
ifesting q disposition to take an &C
tive and firm hand in public affairs
that present evil tendencies may be
checked.
My fellow-citizens, in the face az
these conditions we are told by that
part of the press dominated by the
corporations and by those in league
with The special privilege class and.
rprRof.af la l,tsau lrarc fbat there -.
no issues of commanding importance
in this campaign. Indeed many well
meaning people have listened to that
siren song until they believe and IRE
saying that there are no questions OF
moment now calling for settlement IN
this country. If You point out the
evils lurking i'm the way of good gov
eminent and suggest remedy Won
are stigmatized as the patron of an
ancient prejudice and as a dema.
gogue.
Democratic Duty and Platform De
mands.
i Democrats have the right and II IS
their duty to express their views lIilon
all the questions involving good gov
eminent, and they can discuss their
differences without peril to their
standing in their party. and this
should be freely and fearlessly done
TO the end that the integrity OF our
great party be maintained and that
our government, whose foundations
are embedded IN its undying prin-
ciples of liberty and law, may live to
bless freemen forever. The will OF
Democrats should be written in the
platform and those who fail to stand
] by that announcement of principles
should never again hold your commits
! sion in an Office of trust II once
! elected to office and his best inteilk
gence and energies are not put forth
in an effort to execute the will 81
/ Democrats as thus expressed. he
should be exposed and drive
power. When we assail z trait0
our principles we are not warning
our country but seeking to protect
When we denounce a traitor to q
party we are not warning against We
party but seeking to save 1t tfom
those who would betray 1t into the
I hands of its enemies. If mistakes
are made within the party then Dem
ocrats can in safety point out the
mistakes of Democrats in office and
honest men will mend their ways.
There is little hope, however. for the
man who breaks faith with the PEG
pie by wilfully violating his pledges
or for the man who ignores the ex-
plicit instructions OF the people. II
| Democrats seeking Democratic noTni-
nation will not agree in advance to
carry out your platform demands to
the best of their ability, defeat them
There are many issues demanding
problems with which we should deal
now and we should not be entrapped
into discussion of false issues. or
of questions having no legitimate
place in the domain of party politics
And this reminds me of the effort OF
the field marshals" OF the corpora |
tons and the trusts to use prohibition |
and local option as a decoy in this
campaign.
Prohibition.
On all suitable occasions have |
stated that ] look upon prohibition rs
a moral question rather than political !
and as having no appropriate place IN |
a contest for political preferment, and 4
still hold to that view Even If 20 I
litical and suitable to political discus /
sion, ] know Of no one urging State |
prohibition at this time and therefore /
can see no chance for any such issue /
and no excuse for its agitation. am /
opposed TO Juggling the prohibition /
question into this campaign and ! am /
opposed 10 committing the people of /
Texas unalterably for or against |
State prohibition. or any other policy /
that they may see proper 10 consider
hereafter in dealing with the liquor
question
Local option is an established pol.
icy Of our State. I anticipate no ef-
fort and would not endorse any prop
lsiiOn TO impair the efficiency OF the
local option laws No such PROPOSE
ton has been made nor will be Sc
riOusly made. hence local option is
not an issue. ! believe that when any
county or subdivision thereof adopts
local option the law should be en-
forced. Il the laws are not strong
enough to give full force and express
sion To the will of the people as indi-
Gated by their ballots. then il is their
right TO have the laws strengthened
All men who endorse and are will
ing to uphold the right Of local self
government are agreed upon this