Year: 1878

I The coming convention will have all
the force and effect of an election, ow-
ing to the heavy majority of the demo.
orscy over every kind and degree of op.
position, and its expressions and candi-
dates will stand out as the accepted
policy OF the state Too much care
cannot be had to put the party on
record as to the great questions now be-
fore the people. Some definite line OF
policy ON finance ought to De taken
This is the oIs great question before
the whole country, and Texas has too
large stake in the general prosperity
and well-being to neglect n frank ex-
preston of her views. The policy held
by the nominees of this convention be.
comes matter of the supremest inn
portanee, and they will be es led upon
to express them fully and without
evasion. That the convention viii give
US good officers, honest, capable men,
we do not doubt, but we must know ia
advance that the new state administra-
ton viii be an unit on these great aues-
tons, 20 the end that the weight and
influence OF our state government will
not be dizsipated and utterly wasted by
internal divisions and dissensions.


The democracy is the party of reform
1t advocates retrenchment and econs
omy. AT the same time ii is the party
OF progress. To find the exact line be,
tween enlightened libers.lity, which is
the truest economy, and unwise and
wastefui parsiinony ought to be its care
The people will expect our convention
to give out no uncertain sound on this
matter, Frontier interests, such rs
future encouragement and defense. in~
ternal Improvement and the utilization
of the states previous grants to rails
ways and canals, must receive atten.
ton. The public domain has been Law
ished on these thing. Now we must
see to it that the works be speedily
completed, or that the grants at once
revert to the state, to be used for more
promising enterprises. Some policy
with regard to public schools ought to
be adopted. Our splendid provision
rlust be so utilized as that the pres.
ent generation will have its fair
proportion of advantage. The ftful
and imperfect efforts made by
the state for reimbursement Of the
money expended in the public de-
fense must be better conducted, and
give place to something more likely to
force success. The convention ought to
put the state on record with regard to
a present and future Mexican policy
which will not only secure peace
and quiet on the border but conduee to
profitable commercial relations between
Texas and that government for the
future. In the past the wretcbed poli>
cy prevailing on both sides of the Rio
Grande has been such as to not only
make peaceful trade relations impossis
BILE but to make war inevitable Moth.
ing has been done to conciliate by
either party. The consequence is that
instead of growing rich upon profta-
bic trade with our neighbor, we are
growing poor by reason OF her Superior
stealing qualities, aud the money we
are compelled to waste in providing for
the defense of our frontier. A radical
change of state policy is necessary. The
state must either make war or treat for
a real peace on her own responsi>
bility and without reference to
the national authority, unless we
can prevail upon the general gov
ernment to take more interest in this
question than she has hitherto done
Upon this question the convention must
be very clear and explicit ard it would
be well for aspirants for position at its
hands to prepare themselves in advance
to meet this just and reasonable expec>
tation of the people.


The convention ought to be held
early, so that very full and complete
canvass may be msde--not that there is
the slightest danger ahead for its nomi.
nees. but that they may see as much of
the people as possible, and the people
learn as much of them AS possible, bes
fore the election comes Oft If we make
our own rulers, We certainly ought TO
know what We are doing, and We can
only learn by personal contact and
comparison.