The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1878-03-23
A BAD PRACTICE.

/ touches upon theme which We have
repeatedly treated, and TO which we
wish to call attention in the most im>
pressive words At our command, aud
that IS the practice of traducins those
to whom We are opposed. This is a
fault more prevalent in Texas than in
| any other state of which we have any
knowledge, and it is one which calls
for strong condemnation. In politics,
especially, Is 1t observed. CaI didates
and their friends deem it only neces~
sary to tix a stigma upon the character
| oI record of the opponent to secure his
defeat. Often entire campaigns are
made upon this theory alone. Instead
of going into a political race upon q
better platform of princi pies and max
Ing the race upon their merits we de
pend upon a weakness in the personal
character or history of the opposing
candidate more than faulty principle
OF a defective public policy. is easy
one Down upon the low level OF
a personal struggle, where no true
gentleman cares to 60 even to win sue
csss. This circumstances has deferred
many of the most useful men in our
state from entering the public service,
and on the other hand, has given US in
many in tances inferior men. when the
best were at our command had another
plan been pursued.
Since the present campaign opened
We have been panied to see the persist.
ent attempts to besmirch the charac
ter Of the gentlemen most prominently
before the public for the highest Offices
IN the state. In no single instance has
charge been made aud sustained bv
such testimony as woald be admissible
m any decent court in the land. Is il
so that when a man aspires to public
position his character. by that act, be-
comes OF no value 10 him or hi family
And must he be compelled to sacrifice
good name, or suffer an indelible blot
to he fixed upon it foreve.--ior suspi>
clons are indelible--simply because he
or hisPartial friends think hemay be able
TO serve the state with advantage 10 the
people and honor to himself. We trust
that the day is near at hand when this
most reprehensible practice will be
abandoned altogether. If not there is
nothing else left for an honest sensitive
man Of merit but the code, OF the en-
tire abandonment OF the public SER
vice
Ifa man betrays a public trust, steals
public funds. enters conspiracy to
steal the public lands, trades and traf>
tics in public patronage. let him be in
dicted and pursued with all the rigor of
an outraged Law He will thus be de-
barred from even making another at
tempt TO injure the public Let US not
wait until he is a candidate and then up
on a Himsy charge which cannot be
sustained, fssten hateful blem mish upon
his good name forever.
Men in Texas, too often prefer to
climb mp over the ruins OF another's
character rather than upon their own
superior merits or virtues. Many public
men would not, to all appearances, value
triumph unless some poor, broken
wretch were writhing and groaning in
the dust at his feet. 1t is poor. mean
spirit which is SO organized, and vet
how many of these do we meet every
day. in all the walks Of life.
We would make any reasonable sacri.
fee to see Governor Throckmorton
elected, because our judgment is firmly
convinced that ne will give ~ an admin
Istration such as viii serve every good
purpose of the state, and because we
deem him the best man yet mentioned
in connection with the next governor
ship. But much as we are devoted to
him, If it Is necessary, in order to win
his triumph, that we blackeu the good
name aud ruin the future prospects of
bis opponents, we had rather a thousand
times see him utterly defeated. aud we
have the best of reasons for declaring
that such are his own sentiments