The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-01-21
cosr no ms rAAcE wrru S,DAs.


nized organizations of the party, have
made it speciality to expose John
Kelly's trcacfery, and give him the
grand bounce" until now there is
none so poor within the rsrty lines to
do the great Tammany Sachem homage.
And this utter dethronement OF the
once powerful metropolitan politician
should teach him and NIL other politi-
cal manipulstors two important lessons.
Indeed these lessons might be taken
home to few of our Oregon politicians,
and their moral applied with good
effect. One lesson to be learned from
Kelly's fall is that in political, ms in all
other affairs, there is law of retribu
ton which sooner or later viii assert
itself beyond possibility OF escape.
The other is that there is point be-
yond which the one man power cannot
60 The Tammany leader in the pride
of his pswer undertook to dictate to the
Democracy of the nation IS standard
bearer four wears ago, but after exert
| ing himself to the utmost he was de-
fested by tho spirit of reform, which
was found embodied in the person oi
Gov. Tilden. That defeat, however,
only nerved him to make more des-
perate etfufl, which, unfortunately, was
too successful. When routed at st.
Louis he was wise enough to keep in
side the lines Of the Democratic party,
not daring then to raise openly the
standard of revolt. But, notwithstand-
ing, large majority Of tho people had
unmistakably indicated determine
tion 10 eugrafJ into our nationality the
spirit Of reform as its distinctive force.
and we'll knowing that it pointed TO
Gov. Tilden as its exponent as we'll IL
1880 as in 1876, and with even more
potency, he set his machinery in me
tion to stile it through tho ordinary
channels Of caucus discipline. Failing
In that be struck an open blow at it by
defeating Gov Robinson last year
; whose only fault was that he was 1
friend Of the reform candidate FOR th'
Presidency. and whose reelection b.
rightly judged would generally be re
garded as a renewal of determinatisr
to repeat the popular verdict of 1876
Success then emboldened him for strong
: er efforts in the same direction, aud il
= 7a 81 ......4 ,.h, with d power Sehin'
him which was recognized by the na
tioual Democracy as too powerful to b
grapplsd With, he WAS ensbled to diver
the popular mind from its proper pur
pose, and for time blast the hopes in
= spired of a national reform administra
ton under Democratic auspices. Nov
swift retribution has overtakcn him
and the grave which he lrepare4 70
, others has swallowed him up. Tht
lesson Is an instructive one for all part,
= Aietatnrs. and deserves to be studied
not only by bosses, but by their blin'
supporters.
Leadership in politics, when undo
. the guidance of patriotic purposes ar
. superior wisdom, skill and executiv
force, is not a thing to be deprecated
, When, however, as Il the case will
Mr. Kelly, it assumes to act from th
f blind impulse Of power and persona
prerogative it becomes nuisance to b
abated and danger to be 6verthrown
The caucus system was never designe,
: to become A piece Of mechanism fo
= tbwarting the public will, and when i
, becomes such it loses its sacredness anc
! has outgrown its usefulness. WbeI
used, as it has been In New York city
4 merely to register the decress OF a singl,
, dictator, it hiss no claim 70 popular re
gard either in action or gel 'iment. Ii,
dezign was and is TO represent the vir
tue and intelligence CT the people, not
to cruelty them. II is beginning TO be
felt that loyalty to principle is higher
duty than devotion to mechanical
contrivance which is made 10 turn out
leaders who have not other credentials
than those which are purely official
The spirit Of independence is abroad il
ne land and will not allow tho one
man power to ride in triumph over the
necks Of the people
The Democratic PARTY, as a rule,
makes no war on any organization with
+ in It's line; but the fate Of the proud
leader Of Tammauy should be warn.
ing to that organization and all others,
that something beside capacity to lead
tnc "lihu huitit"io ID Hceuiul III ledu-
ship, and that il party organizations
prostitute their influence and oppertu-
mites, they as well as their fAyorites
will go by the board. The people, not
the machine, Rust rule in this country,
and will. Imperialism has no place in
American politics, a1d least of all in
the Democratic party Whenever and
wherever it shows its head it deserves
a blow, and will be quite likely to get