The Jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 18??-1907, 1906-03-31

of Cass County. among whom l was
raised, about my race for District At
torney, and for that purpose send
you and others this little pamphlet.
/ have been ambitions to be District
Attorney since short time after l be.
gan practicing law, and have labored
earnestly and studiously to qualify my
self for the position, realizing that to
fill the Office as it should be, requires
more than ordinary ability and much
more than ordinary knowledge of the
law; that not only is it necessary to
have ability as a court house DICTATOR,
but in order to save the people the ex-
pense of many new trials which will
result from mistakes which ignorance
Of the law causes, it is necessary that
the District Attorney should be thor
oughly familiar with the law, both
criminal and civil. This idea that all
he needs is the Statute is the excuse Of
those who do not know the law,
are not willing to do the study neces-
sary to learn 1t.
The District Attorney who has not
thorough knowledge ofthelaw, may man
age to convict and send to the reniten-
tiary poor folks that are unable to en-
ploy lawyer to defend them. but those
who are able to employ good lawyer
to defend them will go unwhipped ofjus-
tice however guilty they may be. So. the
very first question to settle in passing
on the qualifications of candidate for
District Attorney, is: Does he know the
law? Then the other questions follow:
Is he honest? Is he competent Has
he the ability? Is he of good moral
character
1t does not become any candidate to
sound his own praises, and 1 shall not
sound mine. I simply say to the peo.
pie. that come to you with recon
mendation from the people of Bowie
County among whom l have lived for
the past 20 years, whom have served
for the past years as their County At
torney. and ask you to endorse the
recommendation of old Bowie. I refer
you to my clients and to the records OF
the Courts of our country, State and
Federal, from the Justice Courts to the
Supreme Court, in all of which l have
practiced; and in answer to the boasts
my opponents make of their ability and
of their success in defending criminals,
especially murderers, and each of them
appears to be very proud of his record to
say as defender of criminals, permit me
to that while am as far as any man
from self assertion of superiority or put
ting forth immodest claims. my clients
and friends tell me that everybody
ought to laugh, and most every body
who knows the three of ua, does laugh,
when either of the gentlemen running
against me in this race boasts of his
ability as lawyer. "They don't say
nothin'-they just laugh" While m ay
not have saved as many guilty men
from the penalty of law as either of my
opponents, nor would be as proud of ii
if had, no mans cause ever suffered
in my hands, and am of the opinion
that the records of the courts will show
that l have been successful in more
cases than either or both of my oppo
nents have been employees; nor have !
grown rich as some insinuate, for !
have charged my clients moderately
and am still poor man, and even the
gentleman from Titus was able in his
speech at Boston to boast that he had
more of this worlds good than l have.
During the twelve years l was prac.
ticlng law before l became County At.
torney of Bowie County, l defended
many men, and cleared many an limo.
cent man, perhaps some guilty. but
never was much hand to defend the
guilty: nor have ever thought it wor.
thy of my time to acquire the reputa
ton of successful defender of crimi
nails. They say there are things to be
done in order to do the work success.
fully. While the gentlemen running
against me have beer defending crimi
nails and boast of their records made in
the defense of their clients, have been
on the other side of the docket, prose
cutting the violators of the law, and
have enforced the law in my County sc
we'll that Bowie County is spoken of al
over the State for her law and order
and Texarkana, formerly by-word fol-
lawlessness, is now talked of at HON,
and abroad as the most orderly city il
our State.
The gentlemen running against m,
boast of the support they get in Bowie
They are welcome TO that support The,
need not feel proud of it; anybody coulc
have obtained the same support agains
me. wish | could string out the line o
voters In Bowie that are supporting
them, and then string out the line o
voters in Bowie that are supporting m,
and let the people of the District lool
at the two lines, and the men in tn,
two lines.
The plea my opponents make that
shou Id be defeated because l live il
j 49,. H.. L. l. IL =.