Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-30

nave with mon0tonOus perslstency allowed
themselves to be cajoled by the Dema-
gogue, and though they are always finding
him out they never seem to recognize him
by his characteristic proceedings. 1t is
probable that when men are carried away
by passion and prejudice their judgments
are in allegiance, and that they are for the
time really incapable of Distinguishing be-
tween the true and the false. Yet consid-
ering how history abounds with examples
Of political duplicity and hypocrisy it
might be thought that by this time some
thing like standard of judgment should
have been established. For it is always
perfectly easy to detect the Demagogue in
politics. He is the politician who is pre-.
pared to indorse the most ultra propositions
| who has no other convictions than the will
OF the voters who has no hesitation in
committing himself to the most sweeping
and subyersive measures who needs no
inquiry to form his conclusions by who
will take any pledges, no matter how dras-
tic. Now when such men put themselves
a. the head of an anti-monopoly or any
other movement, and undertake to solve
the most difficult questions finland, think
ing men must feel that nothing is to be ex-
pscted but disappointment.
We have had anti-monopoly "booms
before in this State, and what did they
amount to after all? To carry State
upon such "boom is one thing; to
utilize tire outcome of the election is quite
another thing. We say, and without any
fear of contradiction, that all the past
movements Of this kind have come to
nothing; and we say further that they
| failed because failure was inherent in their
constitution because they were one and
all led by Demagogues, and because the
Demagogue in politics is a cheat and an
impostor. And if men would reflect they
would perceive that these failures were in.
evitable, because the Demagogue has at
heart nothing but his own profit, and be-
cause men who will undertake anything,
and commit themselves to anything, to
benefit themselves alone, must be dis
| honest, insincere and uptrustwsrthy.
Whatever of good has been thus far
achieved has been the work Of men who
were too honest to make reckless promises,
too conscientious to commit themselves to
| unjust measures, too manly to give up
their own convictions for the sake of ad.
vancement. When President Garfield had
voted against his party in Congress on one
occasion, and sought a denomination, this
was brought up against him. He said to
his constituents There is nothing l
value more than your good will and con.
"fdence but must have the indorss-
"ment of one man before | can do any.
thing for you that man IS the one
&c l go to bed with and get up with every
ebay. 1 cannot forfeit his approval, for
Z" if I did 1 should be worthless to you"
| His constituents were men of sagacity.
They appreciated their representative, and
they unanimously renominated him.
Now that is the kind of guarantee the
people ought to look for, and they should
not rest satisfied with empty professions,
which are sure to be the more profuse the
less conscience there is in the candidate.
And as with individuals, so is it with par
ties. The nation has apparently recog-
nized for many years the insincerity of
Democratic professions, though the ma
tional Democracy has ever since the re-
bellion been striving desperately to sur
pass the Republicans in professions. When
parties engage in this kind of rivalry the
voters generally have sense enough to dis
trust the one which obviously models its
platform upon that of its opponents. This
is Demagogism in its coarsest and most
undisguised form, and we cannot recall
single instance in which it has been sue
cessful. The history of the Democratic
party indeed is a sufficient proof of the
futility of that line of action. To oppose
Demagogism with Demagogsm is always
fatal mistake. There is only one way by
which it can be successfully encountered,
and that is by good faith. A party or an
individual that will say "No l cannot
"pledge myself to do what may be wrong
"and unjust. 1 cannot promise to
edo thus and SO with questions
(which l have not examined.
can only undertake to act justly, dis.
passionately, honestly puts itself in
a position of impregnable strength.
Such a party attracts to itself the best
men of the community. 1t can select its
nominees from the very highest order of
citizenship. 1t can make ticket the very
records of whose members will constitute
its best platform. Bat a Demagogue party
viii have Demagogue candidates. Their
records will not support them. They
must be borne up highly inflated plat
form. And as the platform is nothing out.
side of the candidates, it follows that after
election the sounding promises vanish,
and the alleged purposes of the party are
hustled out of sight. Honorable men can
be trusted to guard the public interests,
and to do full justice in all circumstances.
But such men cannot be persuaded to
stand upon Demsgogue platforms. 1t is
from the self-respecting, solid, honest
candidates, that the fruition of the pop
ular desires is to be anticipated. 1t can
never be reached by cOnfding in Dema-
gogues. These considerations we commend
to the Republican party of California, as
deserving reflection. 1t is very easy to
copy vices and mistakes, but the situa-
ton calls for a very different course of &C.