The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-04-08
PRIa0iPLlR, NOT MEN.

tho polls, 10 deslroi, In political contests
tho plan Of selecting candidate by oon'or'
lions II no doubt tho best Que that Inns ~ far
boon devised and adopted, but II has boan In
the general Judgment ~ often abused In tho
pntl has been uaed T. 50 great M
extent by rings and olQucs for polsou0l og'
grandIslment aud IN further saIllshly nmbi
tlous and sohoming onds regardless Of whit
tho popular will might be-, that II Inns very
reasonably come 10 be regarded with dlslaste
aud dialrust VI not with su-pIclonby tho peo-
pie nj large, Tho party lash Inns been Mp
piled SO frequently 10 drive men
into voting for nominees and sup
porting platforms contrary to their
Wishes mud their judgments until II has
cotton IA bo irksomo md has lost IL power,
In thls day oCNlroads, telegraph wires and
newspapers, tho people keep themselves
posted on MI current events tho world over
thoy read and think for themselves, aud 80
doing, they arriyo NJ conclusions Of their
own aud show Mt every election moro md
moro the determination 10 net according 10
those conclusions, adhcHng always to those
principles their intelligence aud con-
sciences approve, Tho disposition 10
speak aud net for themselves md not rel
ogatO tho exclusive privilege to Others 70 do
II for Thorn, Is rapidly growing among the
people This sentiment was manifest in tho
last state election, when tho nm jorlly Of Gov
ornor Roberts was nearly thirty thousand
less thnn that Of Governor Coke two years
before. Tho state convention hOd not
oheyed tho will Of tho Democratic masses IN
the selection OF gubcrnntorial nominee for
u majority ofthom wanted Governor Hubbard
nominated for 70 election as tho expression Of
delegates to that convention showed, and the
next hoico TO him wAs Ex-Governor ThrOck.
morton. Tho bulk Of the party voted the
ticket but they did 80 grudgingly, sullenly
we may almost say, for there was no cnthu-
siasm manifested during tho cntre canvass,
So II was with the Republican party In the
State, Tho will of the party was against the
nomination Of u State ticket, but some of
thor leaders would have ono, and only u
minority of the party gave II n support
As In this State so has it been in others for the
last iow years Wa mention these instances
10 show that the people are beginning to
recognize their power and to demand obcdi-
cnce to H. In the election which took place
in this city Tuesday we have n strong illus
tralion Of the idea We are trying to advance
aud ampli(y. The Democratic nominee for
| City Assessor and Collector was defeated,
not because he was not II good Democrat !
not because no was unworthy of respect and
confidence, Ills opponent filed the position,
and for two years has done so most
worthily and efficiently, and tho peo-
Pile at large recognizing this fact
desired his retention, A great number OF
Democrats, rs true TO the principles Of Dem.
ocracy as was ever Mr.. Jefferson himself,
feeling that no party principle was involved
in the election, either pro or con, voted
against the nominee and TO retain in Office n
gentleman who had by his works, proven
himself fitted for it, proven that he came up
TO tho Democratic standard of honesty and
capacity So was il in the Marshal's cleo
ton. Many Republicans and Greonbackers
voted for him because he had for
several years stood the test of merit and
made vgilant, active, reliable officer. In
all contests of this kind where there are no
party issues particularly involved, no princi-
pies at stake, tho party that makes nomina-
tons must select candidates who are On rap
port with the people. And furthermore, in
State elections, whore party issues and princi-
pies are involved, these must bc
onunciatod in sounds so certain and uneQuiv.
ocal that all may understand, and the stand
ard bearers chosen must in their sentiment,
be in accord with those principles. For in
stance, the great mass Of the Democratic
party of this State demand public schools
and want something done to secure immigra-
ton. If the State convention, when it meets
runs counter to the will of this mass in the
platform IL formulates and the candidates il
nominates, there will be such feeling of in
dgnation and opposition cngendcrod that it
will be difficult to sustain the action of the
convention. Some of the smaller class ofparty
leaders and would-be leaders may say this is
not true that it is the warning Of an alarmist,
etc , and may go on In their folly, trying &c
shape precinct and county conventions to
suit their own ends, but if they therein sue
coed, paying no heed to the demands of the
people, they will be sadly in the yocative in
November. The HERALD, in tho city con
test Just over, took no part be.
cause there were no important questions in.
volved to affect the City's welfare in any
way; and in the multiplicity of its labors and
the vastness of its expenses to garner and Sc.
lect news for the general public, it had no
time to devote to the matter which con.
cerned it but little rs a newspaper. But in
all political campaigns where the material
interests of Dallas, Dallas county, the State
of Texas, or the Union, are at stake, then this
papor will in good time raise its voice. and in