Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1922-02-26
THOMAS OPENS
HIS CAMP AICN
FOR US. SENATE
Selects Valley Mills, Where
He Taught School When
First In Texas
Especial to the Herald)

Feb. 25. Cullen F. Thomas of Dallas
today in Valley Mills formally opened his
campaign for the U. S. senate before
crowd estimated at five thousand
persons Mr.. Thomas selected Valley
Mills for his opening address because it
was here that he taught school in his
first year in Texas.
The occasion was made a holiday in
Valley Mills. throughout Bosque county
and several Of the surrounding counties.
There was a free barbecue. parade,
with bands and banners. With Thomas
on the program were several prominent
four minute speakers from Coryell, Bell,
Milan. Falls, McLennan and Hill counties.
The speaking took place in the farm
ers' warehouse, and the theme for the
opening address was the "Perils of the
Republic"
Expressing his belief that il is the
duty of every citizen, whether in private
of public station, to have concern for
the public good. and declaring that he
had participated, If not conspicuously,
always earnestly. in every statewide
political contest in Texas" Mr.. Thomas
said that he finds that he has been made
target by some of his opponents for
those challenging aspirations.
Must a candidate be punished" he
asked, because he has had convictions
and the courage 70 avow them? Am
to be penalized because in the davs that
tried mans courage. ! never flinched in
the fight to break the stronghold of the
lawless liquor traffic, in the moral and
political life of Texas? Is premium 10
be offered in politics on indifference
and d'ffidence@ Is il not better that
those who essay leadership should fight
on one side or the other rather than TO
have little claim on either side! Is
not the open foeman more to be honored
than the easy-going non-combatant?
He Iikened the senate of the United
States to a battlefield. asking Does not
every day in that great forum witness
conflict between good and evil; be-
tween strength and weakness; between
the rights of the people and entrenehed
privileges? Will the citizen who whis-
pers against evil in Texas thunder a.
gainst wrong in Washington?
I'VE have had political warfare in
Texas. Strong men on both sides gave
battle for their convictions. Thus comes
progress. Thus democracy lives"
Turning TO the theme of his address,
the "Perls and problems Of the Repub-
lie" Mr.. Thomas warned that history
admonishes of the fralties Of every
form Of government set up among men.
pointing out the situation in China, in
Russia. Germany, and even Great Britain
and France. and said: From the grave
yards Of history, with their melancholy
ruins, from the desolation and decay OF
other lands, we turn with gratitude and
love TO America We ask, with faith, but
not without fear, Waterman. what Of
the nightT
but in spite of the growth and
strength in spite Of hoast"d wealth N Il
TEL ing millions. is thi, s":"iHm'm
sate: Are the liberties a ia" IcrI j.
secure? Are not evil forces urlIrrmoSt?
Is not the call to the slothful to awake:
to the Indifferent 70 be vigilant; 10 the
patriotic IA serve and save the old
time republic in It's purity and simpli-
city as the best. last hope Of man
kind"
He discussed what he termed the
.'menace of Capitalization. the tendency
in government toward ovcr-"Xercise.
IL not uSurpation of power" declaring
that he believed the sending ~ federal
troops by the president to quell Chi
cago riot though provoked by failure
of Illinois 10 exercise its constitutional
prcrogative. was an unauthorized cNer-
else of federal power.
lie attacked the system under which
the United States supreme court oper
ntes. declaring that with practically
equally divided membership il nullifieS
laws enacted alike by nation and
states.
IL known of no greater peril" he
said than the concentration of the
wealth Of the country in the hands Of
= few. In my brief snan We have
reached the age Of the Millionaire. Have
We not become "a nation of money wor-
shippers? Are not the great masses ot
America but poems to the power of
money and the money power
Denouncing the lobbying M Wash
;nytou. he declared that he 'flvored
and IL elected would iniroduce and
champion a stringest. national anti
lobbying law that hy the power &c pub
,;c;ty and prison penalties will put the
brand on corporate hirel'ngS and pro
tect puhlic business from meddlesome
and nefarious methods Of those whose
sole motive is private gain and not the
general good"
H. discussed what he termed '-sauan-
aermania' in connection with war and
nost-war expenditures. problems Of
,axation. the protective tariff. in which
be subscribed TO the old faith Of de-
,nocraey that every dollar of taxation
hevond revenue purposes is prosecu-
.;c, Of the powers Of government; tax
at;on: the Esch-Cummins law. which
he denounced: farmers relief. reform
- tho federal reserve system. govern
ment guaranty of prices. mllitarism.
and international relations.