The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-09-25
Manhood to the Front.

Inc spectacle preSouteu ny lno
surrounding the Democratic party's candidates
and nlaifar.as in th4 Siaiaa of Ohio and psnnsTl-
vania would be amusing if it were not for the
fact that the vast interests involved make the af-
fair of too serious a nature. When any class of
people are forced to talk or to vote against their
convictions, they become to that extent the tools
of their masters and surrender their manhood
and become responsible politically for the disas-
tiers consequent upon their lack of courage
When people cease to be men and become the
convenient instruments of those whose interest 1t
may be to use them, it is a circumstance greatly
to be deplored.
The Ohio Democrats, in their State conven-
ton, adopted an initiation platform. They placed
upon it for candidate for Governor man who
has been heretofore hard-money man. But
when he got on the platform he did not have the
courage to speak his convictions or to refuse to
falsify the record of his life. Rather than to be
considered false to his party he chose to be false
to himself What can compensate man for the
surrender of his convictions2 Senator Thurman,
whose record upon the currency question up to
the adoption of the Ohio platform was as square
and as correct upon hard money as the best of
them. What pitiable wreck he has made of
hBBi Gckeye State cracked the party Whip over
elsewhere and attempted to reconcile his former
enunciations with the imitation doctrines of his
admirable success in making himself ridiculous
as a man and cowsrdly trimmer as a statesman.
It was a miserable failure. 1t excited the min
gled contempt and ridicule of the Republicans
who had hitherto admired him. he attempted to
be hard-money man and rag-money man at
the same time. 1t was simply impossible. He
surrendered his manhood. He can never be
again what he was before his Mansfield speech.
The Pennsylvania Democrats have followed the
example of their Ohio brethren. The fight in
the convention between the hard-money men and
the iuaationists came near dividing the party in
half The infationists were victorious. The
hard money portion Of the party eat humble pie
and chime in with the platform that oblges them
to surrender their convictions upon one OF the
NEST vital questions that agtates the American
people to-day. When the convention was over
the vanquished ceased their talk and work for
honest money. They chimed in with their VIC l
tors. This is what Senator Thurman and his
followers did in Ohio. And it is not simply
question of men or expedsncy. 1t is question
that strikes at the very foundation upon which
all our industries rest. IF were only these or
party policy one might excuse the act of follow
ing the party action. Bat the deplorabe fact
stares US in the face that aOhea man ceases to lee
up to his convictions he ceases 10 be man. He be-
comes the tool of his master If Senator Thur
man and the hard-money Democrats of Ohio and
Pennsylvania choose to vote the Democratic
ticket in spite Of its false position-to them-let
them do so, but let their voices be heard strong
and loud in advocacy of their convictions. 1t is
this lack of living up to our convictions that is
the great cause of most of the mischiefs in our
government, national, State and municipal
The use of the lack of parties and party leaders
or drivers-to force men to talk, act or vote
against their convictions can result only in de-
grading the standard of political manhood and
circumscribing its power and influences for good |
Our future safety depends upon every man being
a free man. Only slaves do as their master bid |