The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-18

in nominations, regard is only had for in
tegrity and capacity-for there is necessl-
ty or seeming necessity of keeping the
party in good trim for strictly political
election.-that is, one involving real, live
political issues-and 1t is, moreover, con-
yepiept, for some, to have a basis upon
which to calculate the per cent. of loss and
gain. Aside, however, from this, both Of
which may and do, but ought not, affect
large number of voters, we conceive that
the politics of governor or legislature is
of no consequence. But we elect them as
such and shall, probably, continue so to
do till time shall be no more. For the sake
of politics, we allow our judgments to be
warped, we vote for dishonest and incom-
petent men, knowing them to be such,
Judge of events according to the professed
political opinions of the actors, and If, per-
chance, any of US are honest enough TO ex-
press dissent from acts of our party leaders
or approval of those of the opposition, we
are straightway put down as ''sorc heads"
weakened" or, as last resort, read out
of the party. We have an illustration of
this in the popular belief in reference to
the south. The mass of one party condemn,
the other approve, not on the merits but
according to politics. The one exclaims,
scan any good come out of the Southern
conservative" while the other rallies TO
the cry of "down with carpet-baggers,
home rule, a white mans government"
Both may be right, and both wrong in part.
We hardly think Vermonter could be
brought to vote for the late so called Presi-
dent or Vice-President Of the confederacy,
yet the latter was elected to Congress from
Georgia, receiving the votes of white and
black, republican and democrats alike. We
should not LOOK for former SHAREHOLDERS
voting for their enfranchised bondsmen
yet the spectacle is not uncommon at the
south. The fact is that there are good and
bad men in all parties and too many of the
latter obtain office. They will continue to
command confidence-if confidence is a
proper word--until the people learn to dis
regard politics when it implies the support
of dishonesty and incapacty in parlcu-
lar candidate. The people will, at times,
rise superior to party, and demand reform,
economy, honesty and ability, but, at the
next election, they are apt to fall again in
to the old ruts, vote straight and keep Their
c0nscences still by the dclusion that the
country can only be saved by party We
have no fears for the country, if only the
people, not politicians, control the party.
There is danger, as we all can see, if only
politics, not honor and intelligence, is the
criterion for office. Why, then, cannot
we, at times, forget politics as it was for.
gotten in 1861? Why cannot men form
and express opinions without waiting the
views of party leaders The town and
village of Rutland are as well governed as
they were wheE politics controlled their
elections. Our laws are as faithfully cx-
pounded with supreme court of mixed
politics as it was when it was all one way.
Our Legislature makes laws by the aid OF
votes from both parties, and the governor
has but to see that they are duly executed,
be he a democrat or republican. Turmoil
would probably prevail in Louisiana with
either Kellogg or McEnery as governor,
and the state would be plundered with a
Moses in the executive chair, even if he
was conservative. 1t matters not, as we
said at the outset, what are mems politics
if so be they discharge the duties of their
office neither does it matter if they fail
so to do. The cause of misgoveI nment is
not the politics but the dishonesty of the
official. Politics, however, comes to the
aid of dishonesty when it throws, as 1t usu-
ally does, shield over it, all to save the
party even if it does ruin the country. Let
us hope that the spasm of virtue which ex.
tended over the country last fall, rebuking
improper nominations at the expense OF
party, will not expend its force until il
compels all parties to consider only the fit
ness of the man and .bis personal oflicia
qualifications in making nominations, anC
then we can stick to party Through thicl
and thin; but until this is done a larg
number of intelligent voters will ask to b
excused and claim the divine right to vote
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