Year: 1874

tuition suggested by him was adopted
by the people at the same time that
the thirteenth legislature was elected,
hut that when the legislature met there
were many opposed to the ratification,
and that he used all his influence TO Sc
cure the ratification. He favored the
compromise of giving to the Texas and
Pacific railroad, twenty sections of land
to the mile along its whole route. The
representatives Of north Texas
favored the adoption Of this compro-
mise, believing that II was right and
p oper. 1t was adopted by the legisla-
ture, coupled with the condition that
it should be accepted by the directors
of the railroad in fifteen days. There
upon he went to Philadelphia at once,
and appearing before meeting of the
directors, urged and secured the accep-
tance of the proposition by the body.
He is satisfied now, as he was then,
that 1t was a fair, just and equitable
settlement-bestb both for the people of
Texas and the Texas and Pacific rail
road.


Whatever bob-tailed stump speakers
might say about Colonel Tom Scott, he
knew the fact that Scott had pledged
S4,OOO,OO0, of his private means to
carry on this great work. Scott, with
other large railroad men, have mort
gagged their private estates in aid of
this enterprise, and it is nothing more
than right that they should get some
return for their risk and expenditure.


But, said the governor, it is charged
that / am stakeholder of this cumpa-
ny, and that am also director. Both
charges were true; he was stock
holder to the amount Of two thousand
dollars, having been originally stock
holder in the Memphis and FL Paso
road to the same amount, for which
stock he paid his money. He was also
director, and was the only director
for Texas; that was an office of no
profit; that he attended meetings of
the board at his own expense and with
out receiving dollar of compensation
therefor. That his position as director
enabled him to secure the location of
the road to Sherman and Bonham,
and that he labored assiduously with
both Colonel Scott and General Dodge
to carry the road to those places, though
he had not dollar of interest nor
foot of land in either place.


In reference to what he had done
for the city of Dallas, in connection
with railroads, Governor Throclmor-
ton showed that when the charter of
the Texas Central railroad was first
presented, it provided for the road
being built to Clarksville, on the Red
river; that he suggested to Mr.. Allen
to change Clarksville to Preston, and
the change was made. Furthermore,
that when in 1861 the company APP
piled for state aid, he inserted pro-
viso in the bill that the line of the road
should run within certain distance of
the public square of Dallas. And also,
that in 1866, when there was an addl-
tional application for aid, he secured
the incorporation of the same feature
in the bill.


In reply to the charge that he was
the attorney of the road, Governor
ThrOckmorton said there was not
lawyer in Texas that would not Jake
the position and be glad to get it, and
at the same time feel and know that
he was not thereby antagonizing him
self with the interests of the people of
Texas. Judge Good, one of his opp0-
nents, had been the attorney of the
Texas and Pacific railroad, for months
and months before he was, and that
Judge Hare, his other opponent, had
been the attorney of the Missouri, Kan
sas and Texas railroad.


The governor dispelled the idea that
his connection with railroads had filled
his purse. He said that it had nevers
brought him foot of land, and that he
was poorer man now than when he
first became interested in them.


The governor then proceeded to give
brief summary of what his course
would be if honored with a seat in con-
gress.


First, he said he would devote HIM
self to securing protection for the from
tier and reimbursement for the losses
that the frontiersmen have sustained
by the lack governmental protection;
that this was manifestly the duty of
the government, and that he sh ould
use ali his influence to carry such a
measure through.


On the tariff question, the governor
announced himself as opposed 10 any
tariff for protection, but in favor of
tariff for revenue, and on the currency
question as i'm favor of return to spe-
Gle basis, not by any sudden revolution,
but such prudent steps as would not
inhict any jar upon the business of the
country. He thought this might gen.
orally be effected by the government
paying out for its current expenses the
gold and silver collected on imports.
Hard money is the money of the con-
stitution, and the productive interests
of the country demand- that there
should be return as soon as practica-
BILE to that basis.


Lastly, If elected to congress, the
governor said he would advocate gov
ernmental aid to the Texas and Pacific
railroad, because he believed it was
right in itself as war and postal
measure, and because he felt that Tex
as and the other sections of country
through which the Texas and Pacific
railroad would pass has as much
claim upon the government as the re-
gions traversed by the Union Pacific,
fha fSootrol Dao;6o aod tho Norfbarn