Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-08-28
Reply to "Fair Play"

a letter in your Issue Of Wednesday,
Esd inst, signed "Fair Play" in
which the writer complains that in
justice has been done to certain Re-
publicans who saw fit to abandon
their ,ime-honored old party AMI
Join the Liberal Independent De
mocracy four years ago, by the test
that has been proposed for the pri-
maries of the Central Committee.
Now let us see how much reason
there is in Fair Plays complaint.
First, the action of che Committee
was not based upon anything that
occurred four years ago, as | under
stand. but rs the test itself reads,
"Did you vote tor u majority of the
Republican ticket at the last general
election" i. e. that of two years ago.
Now if those whose cause Fair Play
advocates had recognized the "fail-
urc of the LiDeral-Indepen dent
party in 1879. they had a fair OPP
portunity OF returning to the Repub-
lican fold in 1874, when they would
have been received with open arms
as returned prodigals. But did they
do thisl Fair Play says "two years
ago a feeble attempt was made to
make the Independent party a power
in this county" The attempt was
so feeble that it came near defeating
the Republican party for he first
time in the history Of this county; so
feeble that they carried Dayton and
Churchill precincts by handsome
majnrides.
Now it appears that these seeding
Republicans, after twice trying to
destroy the Republican party of this
county. and seeing that the Tilden
and Hendricks coral is too foul for
them(having still some heaven of Re-
publicanism in their souls), are will
ing to come back and pledge them
selves to vote for Hayes and Wheeler
(Which they will surely do anyway,
provided the Republican party will
let them have II hand IN the forma-
ton of the county ticket, by allow
ing them to vote at the Republican
primaries.
Now l ask Republicans. and par
ticularly l put it to Fair Plays own
sense of justice, not to say comm N
sense, would it have been right and
fair and just to the party to those
who stood firm in veal and woe to
the principles for which we have bat
tied for sixteen years, if the Repub-
lcan County Central Committee had
not, by the test proposed, placed it
out of the power of the brethren
that have gone astray after false
gods to control, in any manner, the
action of the party. AS any honest,
fair minded gentleman, how can
Fair Play expect the Republican
party to give any power to those
who abandoned it without reasonl
There is faint sound in the air of
Fair Plays letter that falls upon the
ear like the echo OF the Democratic
rallying cry of reform, reform. we
are back in the Union again. now
give us the power and the post Of
fees" | ask, Republicans, can we
rely upon these menl Are you will
ing to place power in the hands of
men that have betrayed you twice,
aud that give us no guarantee that ii
things do not 60 to suit them they
are not ready to do it a third time2
We will welcome them back most
cordially and heartily to the ranks of
the party; we will allow them to vote
the straight Republican ticket from
top to bottom and that is all We ask
of them for the privilege two years
hence of taking their place with us
at the Republican primaries and IN
the Republican convention.
Yours, JUSTICE.