The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-05-13
In General.


fashioned aInanacs, "look out for
wind" And about this time in
the political calendar We nav also
look out for wind" some of the
breezes being ill-smelling, and
many positively noxious.
Three weeks from next Monday
the fortv-two thousand voters Of
this state will have an opportunity
to declare who shall be their state
officers and who shall represent
them at the state capital. All this
hurrah and talk about a
Campaign" is fustian. 1t simply
amounts to this: Both parties call
upon those who believe in their
doctrines to come up to certain
designated places and be counted;
the candidates 60 and see the men
that they think will give them the
requisite amount OF aid; whatever
can be said or done to influence
those who have no minds Of their
own is done, and on the day of
election those who, from an inter
est in the country OF desire to
see friends or usefal men elected,
go up and register their choice,
and the side able to produce the
biggest tallS-list is declared the
winner. All the gas and glare
amount to nothing more. Of
course the usual whoop-up takes
place; appeals are made to party
passion, religious animosity and
sectional prejudice; old times are
recalled and old sores reopened;
unworthy efforts are made to create
political capital, and mingled with
the unsayory mess is a favor of
patriotism and devotion to country
which is sometimes the only in.
gredient that saves it from putre-
faction. The present condition of
affairs is anomalous. There is
nothing on either side strong
enough t. deserve ali attack, or
weak enough to easily overcome.
There Is not the shadow Of an
issue between the two parties, and
personal considerations and local
influences will be the main factors
in determining the result. Party
lines are every year more loosely
drawn. Political solidity is the
legitimate outgrowth of ignorance,
prejudice and brutality. aud as
popular education advances, as
men get to doing their own think
ing, they refuse to allow others to
crack the party whip over their
shoulders, or run them into the
polls as cattle at rodeo. When
we speak OF mer, we mean men,
and not the miserable whelps that
vote for the unworthy candidate
that is able to put up the most
coin or the day Of election.
A safe guide to go by in select
ing public servant is that rule
of ordinary prudence which every
sensible man follows in everyday
life. If we want TO employ man
IN our business, we will not hire
one who his the reputation of
being scoundrel, drunkard, or
a thief; and q man that can not
take care Of his own business is
not fit to take care Of ours; nor
would We knowingly vote for such
a man to put him in IA position of
public trust, for the rule Of analorv
applies in this case, and if he fools
away hisown business, what guaran-
tee have We that he will not iniure
and disgrace the county aud the
commonwealth? Here we have
one of the most potent attributes
of human nature in collision with
an abstract principle, for it is the
most natural thing in the world fer
a man TO vote according to his
personal liking, and, If he doesn't
know the candidate, give him the
benefit of being on his favorite
ticket. The whole matter depends
wholly on the idea of the import
ance of vote, aud the individual
estimates Of such importance ag
gregates the final result.
-
1wKNTY-FoUR greenhack news
paper organs died in Iowa during
the last year.