Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-11-24
Southern Pacific Railroad S70,-
600 600 Endorsement It Should
not hecome aPartY Measure.

OF the United States pass such mea-
sures that endorsement of the Govern
ment be secured to the amount of sew
enty Hillions OF dollars for the compile
t;on Of Southern Pacific railroad, are
frank enough to give the greatest pub
liclty to their contemplated movement,
even 20 the publishing of their names.
They seem TO entirely ignore the fact
that but three short years ago, during
the late Presidential campaign, one Of
the great points Of dcnunciatiOn that
the Democratic party dwelt on was the
past governmental aid to projects SINH
lar TO the one under consideration.
The management of the new enter
prise with this fact in view are not dis
courged. There is to be no secresy
about it. They expect to ask plainly
for governmental aid or endorsement,
and they expect 20 have plain yes or
no from the country. That is good as
far as it goes, and will open the ques-
tiOn before the people fairly for discus
sion, which will prepare all for the
making up of an intelligent answer,
yes or no, to the enterprise, but it does
not 90 quite far enough. 1t should go
a step further and lift the enterprise
entirely out of politics; that is, it
should be placed entirely out of the
way of party consideration. 1t should
not be n.ade Republican or Demo
cratic enterprise. We speak of course
as Republican. If the Democracy
wish to champion it, Republicans shall
not object, but when they do it they
place themselves directly opposite their
most recent expressions on such ques
tions. They dare not touch it after
their late denunciation of all such en-
te-prises.
That the Republican parry should
shrink from any action that would like
ly be in the slightest degree construed
as party endorsement is quite natural
after the sweeping condemnation that
gave the Lower House of Congress to
the Democracy in the fall of 1874. 1t
has not been stated that an effort will
be made to enlist the Republican organ
ization as party in the proposed en-
dorsement.
This early stage of the enterprise is
the one In which to enter protests or
objections to even hint of such line
of party action.
These men have as clearly right to
90 to Congress with their proposition
for endorsement, as they have to ask
for aid for any other public enterprise,
or enterprise for the benefit for the
public, but they have no right to ex-
pect party aid, neither is it said that
that they do.
They should not be discouraged from
presenting themselves at the doors of
Congress with their project. Let the
country learn what they wish wha;
they propose to do /; what benefits they
expect the country generally win re-
ceive, and let US all as int elligent coun-
trymen consider them Impartially out
side of party lines, and then say yes or
no to our representatives, la Congress.
Let US lift it out of party reach, and
say to he Congressmen, take the ques-
tion, consider it as Individuals, as rep
resentatives of the people, and act as
you expect t1 be held personally re-
sponsibie to your constituents, and do
not seek to get party endorsement.
The Republican party particularly
should shun anJ thing like party en-
dorsement, for it has suffered By the
bad management of individuals, in be-
ing held accountable for their unwise
conduct. The salary grab, for exam
pie, while it was not party measure,
Democrats and Republicans alike eager
ly accepting and voting for its passage,
the impression was allowed to get
abroad that 1t was party measure, ard
then instead of the disapproval of the
country falling on the individuals alone
it fell on the Republican organization.
Again, for example, is the Credit Mo-
bilier enterprise, and other endorse
ments not necessary now to mention.
Let US have the question before Con-
gress aud the country, but let Congress
men and editors, and whomsoever else
that may choose, consider, advocate or
Genounce it, as it seems best to them,
without making party matter of it,
holding themselves personally respon-
sIble for their line of conduct on such
questions. As with Congressman SO
with ether officials of Government,
both higher and lower they should not
be allowed TO bind themselves to it as
if ii were party measure. lie; them
all take hold of it as individual, or cor
porate measures, and If blunder or
mistake follows, which is hardly prob
able with the past experience as guide
to avoid the old wreckiDg places, the
Republican organization cannot then be