Evening star., 1919-05-09
Resent Domination Charge.

People here resent the imputation
that Texas has sought to dominate the
Wilson administration. This has been
frequently asserted because Messrs.
iGregory, Burleson and Houston of the
ca binet and Col. E. M. House of the
Isupercabinet hail from this state.
Neither do the people say on every
side that none OF these men could
have been elected to high office. They
don't know much about Col. House or
Secretary Houston and are inclined to
have favorable opinions Of them. but
they do know the Postmaster General,
and their Views are positive and un-
eQuivocal'
1t must be said in fairness, however.
to Mr.. Burleson that the charge that
he used convict labor on his planta-
ton and was in some way party to
the whipping of convicts on his land
cannot be sustained.
| There's nothing in that" was the
way everybody answered that ques-
ton. though in the same sentence
they might utter severe criticism of
the Post Office administration.
! 1t seems that convict labor used tc
be hired out to plantations generally
or used on farms leased by the state.
Mr.. Burleson had no more to do with
them than any other plantation own
er. For several years it has been pro-
| " Ire oul state CONVICT laDOT
on privately owned farms. What he
did years ago was considered regular
| in business transactions in this state.
| Bitter in Criticism.
But Texas people do not harbor any
grievance on that ground against Mr..
Burleson. They are literally UP in
| arms against him, however, for his
management Of the telephone system.
| have heard more bitter criticism Of
the Postmaster General in his own
state than have in many other states
| In the Union. For instance in Hous-
| ton the city council had denied an ap-
plicatfon of the telephone company for
an increase In rates, but the Postmas-
| ter General granted it. am advised,
moreover. that a representative of his
department wrote the city council a
letter threatening to increase the rate
100 per cent II they resisted the 80
per cent increase. Tactics like this are
naturally attributed to the Postmaster
General himself as the responsible
head Of his department.
One editor of influence went to great
pains to tell me that Mr.. Burleson was
a strong personality who got his
training as criminal lawyer and
prosecuting attorney and had never
ceased to tackle problems in the same
brusque, driving way that he used to
when he harangued in the Texas
courts. Favoging the wet side of the
against Joseph Weldon Bailey, he
came back to. Congress again and
again from his district asked
whether Mr.. Burleson could be nomi-
mated for the United States Senate to
succeed Senator Culberson. whose
feeble health may bring about his re-
tirement. But 1 was told that the
POSTMASTER General had no chance to
win any elective Office in this state,
judging by the way public feeling is
running against him today.
Says "Mr. Burleson Is Goat"
One shrewd observer of affairs said
he was mo champion of Burleson"
and believed he ought to be removed,
but he added rather significantly that
he didn't think Mr.. Burleson took over
the cable and telegraph and tele-
phones and increased rates without
consulting President Wilson and get
ting his approval.
They are trying to make Burleson
the goat" was the comment of one
| editor. and he was by no means
friendly to the Postmaster General.
licans and anti-Wilson men, but both
| species are very rare in this part
| of the country.
| friendly to Republicans.
The Wilson administration still has
a hold on the masses, but not on
the business men of Texas. This
state would never go republican. but.
as one man laughingly remarked:
You might say republican admin
istratfon would not be unwelcome."
Witness. for example, this quota
ton from the leading editorial in the
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, one of
independent minded and most influ-
ential democratic newspapers in the
south: The course of wisdom for
the republican party will be to CO.
operate with the President in launch
Ing the United States as one of the
dominant powers in world politics.
dismiss the foolish idea that he ex-
poets to run for third term and
invite his cooperation in solving the
during the next two years Such
a course would be best for the coun-
| try and best for the republican party.
For the whole logic of the present
situation is that the country must
choose that party which is best flt-
ted to carry on the country's business
both at home and abroad. Whether
correct or not. the country has great
er faith In the republicans for the
present to solve our domestic prob
lens than 1t has in the democrats
1t remains to be seen whether the
republicans will destroy that faith by
showing themselves incompetent in
| foreign affairs"
Likes Presidents Foreign Policy.
+ Texas is anticipating a republican
administration. but 1T likes the Wilson
Leadership in foreign policy and wants
to SEQ the ideals he has expressed car
ried through by succeeding admins
tratlons. For example, the same news
ipaper which printed the above edi-
torial 80 friendly to the advent Of the
republican party in domestic affairs
on the same day was severe in its
criticism of Senator Lodges stand. in
the recent Italian controversy. It
says:
The republican party's alliance with
tho German American Alliance against
President Wilson in 1915 has been
well-nigh forgotten by the people.
but 1t was none the less one of the
most disgraceful episodes in our po-
litical history. If the republican party
Is to follow Senator Lodge in forming
new alliances of this sort-as his let
ter to the Italian societies of Boston
would lay the predicate for-it is
starting on a made-to- order career in
deed"
100 Per Cent American.
Generally speaking Texas is 100 per
cent American, even it's Germans, In
large part, sent their boys to war and