REPUBLICAN PARTY OF TEXAS 
 The First 50 Years

In his address to the delegates, Chairman Davis referred to his recommendation to the convention of 1880, and to his call of June 28th last, and repeated that it was his judgment the Republicans ought not to nominate a State ticket but support acceptable independent candidates. About four hundred delegates were present; half of them were colored.

Officers: Chairman pro tempore, N. W. Cuney, of Galveston; permanent, J. Gr. Tracy, of Harris. Secretary pro tempore, T. A. Knox, of Falls; permanent, C. M. Campbell, of Marion.

Committee on Platform and Resolutions: A. Siemering, of Bexar, chairman ; names of other members not found.

PLATFORM 1

We, the Republicans of Texas, in convention assembled, recognizing the fact that our National and social welfare as citizens is largely the result of the policy that controls our State government, therefore, in the interest of what we conceive to be liberal and progressive government, we announce our intention to support, at the approaching election for State officers, candidates who come before the people for suffrage purely as independents, free from party nominations or other forms of caucus dictation, and who do to a reasonable extent agree to support and enforce the following policies in our State government:

1. We favor an amendment to the constitution directing the levy and collection of a special school tax, sufficient in the minimum amount, together with other moneys accruing to the school fund, to maintain free schools for ten calendar months in the year, in all communities where there is sufficient scholastic population.

2. We disapprove in the strongest terms the breaking open of offices and counting out of legally elected officers, as practiced by the Democrats in some of the counties of Texas.

3. We favor a revision of the jury laws, to the end that jurors shall be drawn impartially from the body of the people liable to jury service.

4. That the Republican party is aggressive and progressive, and that we point with much pride to the five thousand miles of railroad in this State, the result of friendly legislation during the Republican administration.

5. We believe that the school and University lands should be sold only to actual and bona fide settlers at current market values, and on long time, with a reasonable rate of interest, and in parcels not exceeding six hundred and forty acres for farming and grazing lands, and in large bodies for purely grazing lands.

6. We believe that such endowments as have been made to the University should be husbanded and strictly applied to the maintenance of the same, but that no further endowments should be made to the University until the State shall have perfected a thorough system of public free schools.

7. We believe that humanity dictates, and our social well-being demands, that ample provision should be made for the maintenance of lunatics in well ordered asylums, to the end that our civilization shall not longer be disgraced by the incarceration of such unfortunates in common jails with felons.

8. We believe that a humane consideration for the criminal classes and the welfare of society demand that ample penitentiary room be provided in different sections of the State for the accommodation of convicts within the prison walls, to the end that the inhumanities, brutalities, and demoralization that result from the outdoor lease system may remain no longer a blot on our civilization. We favor, also, that the State provide houses of refuge or correction for juvenile offenders.

9. We believe that the revenues should be derived from an ad valorem tax on property and other forms of moneyed values, and that oppressive occupation taxes and head money or capitation taxes -have no rightful place in a republican government.

10. We believe that the State ought to promote and foster im- migration by all practicable methods.

11. We believe that the ends of equitable government would be conserved by the repeal of the existing road laws and the substitution therefor of the levying and collection of the road and bridge tax to be expended by the commissioners court of each county in the maintenance of public highways.

12. We believe that no more money should be collected in the shape of taxes than is necessary for the reasonable maintenance of the government.

13. That in President Arthur we have a chief executive of the Nation, who, by wisdom and manly efforts to serve the material welfare of the whole people, has earnestly commended himself to the Republicans of Texas. That we reaffirm our adhesion to the great National Republican party, and adopt as our sentiments the platform promulgated at Chicago in 1880.

14. In order that the Republicans may act unitedly, resolved, that N. W. Cuney, E. W. Martin, Richard Allen, S. A. Hackworth, A. R. Collins, J. B. Williamson, A. Siemering, L. W. Cooper, Colonel Robert Taylor, W. H. Andrews, and Colonel Car be constituted a committee to confer with other anti-Bourbon organizations as to whom among the Independent candidates the Republicans shall support for State offices and publish an address setting forth their names. That the eminent public services of E. J. Davis to the people of Texas commend him to the confidence and support of all good men, irrespective of party.

Additional Resolution

[15] That we ask the next legislature to extend the scholastic age from six to eighteen.

State Executive Committee: C. C. Binkley, of Grayson, chairman; W. R. Carson, of McLennan, secretary.