The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-04
ashssliug gesister.
.,v January a.
PsliticaI Matters.

Peliticnl Matters
The day of our city election Is ia''
approaching. 10 Il very short tune 'he
vo,s,s Of wheeling will be called to
choose their municipal officers anu
oonGoiImeD. No steps looking to the
.o,.,,ion of candidates have yet been
.oken The whole field is yet uneccu'
i'd n,,ess possihly some of the aspl
rants are quietly getting in trim lOr 'n'
race. All excitement now being aoSen'
and the interest felt being of a purely
General character, there can be DO h''ei
occasion than this for brief survey Vi
the situation.
The recent campaigH has surfeited the
political taste of the people. At no time
within our recollection has there been D
greater apathy felt ameng all classes
concerning naked partisan questionS'
than now prevails. This comparative
calm is the natural sequel to long
SEASON of excitement. Ever since the
war the parties have kept up close Of
pauization and carried on constant war,
fare. In every election, however local
in its character, the result has turneu
upon the general issues before the couh-
try. Thia condition of things terminated
with the last election. Weary Oh the
strife, the people generally are lndls-
sosed to continue it. For a time, at
least, party organization will he less
close; party men will he less Jealous
and party questions less considered.
Hence, we think that in elections
like that ahead, the winning ticket
must have sorae merit aside from It's
political designation. Those who par
ticipate will vote in discharge OF their
duty as citizens, rather than in obedi-
ence to their discipline aspartisans. We
are fast approaching the old condition
of things, when, as far as local elections
were concerned, the result was deter
mined hy considerations of merit rather
tbn, nv the main strength of numerI'
cal majority. We do not propose 10
discuss the question whether this state
of affairs is desirable; we merely pre-
sent the fact as one which cannoe be
controverted, and which must be con-
sidered by any organization that shall
hereafter put forth ticket for popular
support.
In latter-day politics, the rule has
been to give the nominee the support
of the party. Whatever the merits oi
the candidate, many, few or none, MS
endorsement by !the Convention OF his
party has sutilced to secure him its vote.
In the midst Of excitement, such rs mas
prevailed for three or four years, where
every man felt that he was supporting
his principles rather than his candl-
date, this result generally followed.
Even then, to be sure, it did not always
follow without effort, but i'll some way
or other the issue has generally been as
stated. In our Judgment, the task OF
bringing . whole party up to vote Tor
candidate simply because he IS the
nominee, will hereafter be beset with
difficulties whenever Convention
makes ar unfortunate choice. The day
when men voted without regard to the
merits of their ticket has gone ny
Party discipline, the goad and spur ana
lash, have doubtless been found useiui
in times past, but the party, Democratic
or Republican, that shall hereafter rely
solely upon their efficacy in carrying
local elections wiH, in all probability,
bitterly regret the adoption of such a
policy. |
To make a practical application OF
these views, we believe that the Demo-
cratic party Of this city, vii. vote solid
only for an unobjectionable ticket
With all our majority here, we have no
right TO presume that we can win as
easily as heretofore, ualess by our nom
nations we assure the Democrats that
their party ticket is in itself worthy ot
their support. The taxpayers OF the
city have large interest in the matter
of local government. They furnish the
supplies that run the machine. II our
affairs be we'll administered they pros.
per: if badly, they suffer Whether
rightly or not they are going to consult
their own interests in this election.
The best men in the field, possibly
with little regard To politics,
viii receive their support. We
have no right to find fault with their
purpose. We merely admOnish the !
Democracy to respect it. If the Demo
Gratis nominate a tirst-claSs ticket, not |
in the hackneyed sense of the term, but
ticket of genuine merit, they can
succeed with as much ease as heretofore. |
If they put forward a bad one, their
success may be hedged about with diff
culties, unless, indeed, the Republicans
surpass them in laundering and nomi- |
nate a worse one. The folly of our eng
mics is not reliable dependence to
make a victory certain, we would ad-
wise our Democratic friends to look we'll
to their candidates.
senator Wiley.
Tho Wheeling IntelligeHcer recon-
mends Mr.. Wiley, of West Virginia,
for place in General Grants Cabinet.