I am a Texas native
and even have a distant relative who fought for the indepence of this fine country turned state (Henry Wax Karnes who has a county and city named for him) so I am a little bit knowledgeable of Texas history. From my take of the history, a man who open carried in the past was viewed as an honest man for the most part. The only gun laws were basically the cities asking those honest men to put up their guns when they came into town (only the larger more sophisticated cities for the most part). The reason that the Texas constitution placed the wording allowing the state legislature to regulate the wearing was for crime prevention. Back in those days it was more for appeasing the larger cities. I know of a few instances in the past where if a man was found hiding a gun on his person was tried and convicted as if it was his intention to do harm to the good people of the community (history lesson over).Now for my own opinion. I think the state should NOT restrict open carry of firearms period. If an honest person is willing to pay the price for a handgun and a holster and allow every man, woman and child view said holstered firearm while he is going about his lawful daily business then in my view that will typically show that he is honest, as has been the case in all other states with open carry laws. I have a CHP from Florida as I am be one of those who would be restricted as I have a student loan in default but I have never been convicted of anything more than a traffic ticket. Am I wrong for owing money ,sure and I know lots of others who are as well, but I am making an effort to correct this but that takes lots of money and it looks like I might get it paid off some time around 2020, after reviewing all of the other state chl laws, Texas is the ONLY one with such onerous hoops for self protection of myself and my family so I chose to send my money out of state and will continue unless the laws change right here. Have I attended a proper Texas CHL class prior to obtaining my CHL,yes. Do I have competency to properly use said firearm, yes. Do I wish I could afford much more advanced training, yes. Would I be worried that the gang bangers would start going around shooting up the place after we pass open carry, no. Why you ask? Well most BG's want to have the element of surprise just as most CHLers do. Do I wish we had Vermont firearm laws, yes, somewhat.
If we look at ourselves as CHLers falling into the same catagory as BG's wanting the same thing
, surprise, then maybe history was right, open carry is the honest approach. Most BG's do not want to have to fight, they want surprise and submission. If they see lots of people open carrying and staying in condition "YELLOW" then they will move to others who are the easier prey. In New Orleans ,right now, the BG's are going after the illegals (they call them walking ATMs) because they know very few will have a gun and none will open carry for fear a police officer will stop them. Is that right? NO, but it is reality. Many honest legal citizen supervisors have begun carrying openly to protect the workers and it is working for the most part. Why can't we use these same common sense rules as those who wish to oppose us seem to chant so much. Are there people who have no business owning a firearm so much as open carrying? Yep!!! There was back then and today too, but if a man royally screwed up then the laws would handle it back then as we have today the only difference is back then there were fewer LAWYERS 
and stiff and swift penaltys 
. I might have been a bit young but I remember my dad who was a LEO in the 50's- late60's was proud to have never have to draw his firearm except at the range. As an aside he had a full sized holster for a 4inch barrel pistol where he kept his little S&W chiefs special and back then they practiced accurate draw and shoot from the hip and I have seen him pick off a half dollar on a fence post from 30 paces with that little 2 inch snubby. Well I hope you get the idea that have tried to put forward. Should we still have licensed concealed carry,yep and we should also have unlicensed open carry for those of us who would feel more honest open carrying without a bunch of .gov nonsense. Would the anti's say there will be blood in the streets? Yep, just as you can count on the summers to be hot in Texas. Will I open carry if passed? Yes, and I will keep a CHL for those times when I think it would be more prudent to conceal ,such as church or business meetings. Will there be business owners post restrictions? Yep, but after awhile they will drop it just like we have seen with CHL's. Will some gangbangers try to open carry? Hmmmm, if they do then the LEO's should be able to single them out pretty quickly.
So I have given you a little of my thinking on this subject. Will I ask my legislator to support a PROPER open carry bill? You can bet your bottom dollar on that. Same I as would any other bill Mr. Cotton thinks we should have as law. Will I oppose bad law, well it didn't help in the past but I will.