Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-18

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any mental process whatever. In this
county the Republicans have adopted
platform which may be said to have hardly
anything in common with the State plat
form. It is far more discordant with the
latter than is the Democratic State plat.
| form, in fact. Its central position is
| demand for just treatment of the rail.
roads, whereas the central position of the
State platform is demand for unjust treat
ment of the railroads. How, then, can
the Sacramento Republicans, who certainly
believe in the soundness of their county
platform, accept and support the State
platform? Clearly this is impossible by
any intellectual compromise. They can only
do it by shutting their eyes resolutely to
the inconsistency of the situation.
But it is manifest that when county and
| city and State platforms are go utterly in
compatible, they must represent distinct
want of sincerity and conviction some
where. 1t would be impossible for a
county platform to favor Free Trade, for
example, while the State platform upheld
Protection, without bringing oat this fact
very plainly. Yet it exists quite as con-
spicuorsly in the present condition, and
the only doubtful question is where the alb.
sence of conviction is to be located. If
voter affects to support two Numerically
opposite policies at thu same time, it is
evident that he is deficient either in intel.
ligence or sincerity. Partisans, however,
are continually undertaking just this i'm.
possible feat, and simply because the ma
jority of men do not do their own think.
ing, such hopeless inconsistencies are passed
by without surprise even. Indeed it
can scarcely be wondered at that politi-
clan like Mr.. Estee should think it feasible
to ride two horses going in opposite direo-
tions, for that kind of performance has been
given SO often that the public are used to
it, and do not detect any incongruity in it.
In the present campaign, moreover, there
have never been any principles. The State
platform was merely flyer to ascer.
tain which way the popular wind blew
and whenever it appears that It's declara-
tons are displeasing, the candidates at once
demonstrate their willingness to change
them. Thus it would be possible, we sup
pose, for every county in the State 20 have
different platform, and for all of them to
be at variance with the State platform
and yet the party managers would expect
the rank and-file to come forward and sup.
port the State ticket, regardless of the fact
that it was standing on policy objection.
able to the majority of the party
The suppleness manifested in these
changes of policy emphasizes the fact that
this campaign is simply and solely one for
the spoils of office. There were no vital
issues before the people when it was CON-
menced. False issues were accordingly
manufactured, and sham convictions
adopted. The stump speakers on both
sides have been uttering sentiments which
they do not believe. In several notable
instances, as we showed yesterday, they
have been going counter to their own pre-.
viously expressed convictions. In reality
they have been trying to out-bid one
another in the greedy and sordid scramble
for votes, and they have exhibited an alb.
sence Of scrupulousuess in this business
which augurs ill for the people should any
OF them be placed in positions of RESPONSE
billy. OF course the speakers can only
smooth over the awkward incongruities of
the situation by dealing in vague generali-
ties; but il the voters were accustomed to
compare notes they would soon perceive
that there was prevailing falsity
which honest men cannot tolerate What
is it that the Republican party of Califor.
MIA proposes, for instance? The reply
must be that it proposes several things, ell
OF which are hopelessly incompatible. It
is impossible to carry out the State plat
form on corporations without sauarsly
traversing the Sacramento and San Fran.
cisco platforms on the same issue. Which
side, then, will be carried out? Are those
who believe in unjust discrimination
against railroads to be gratiGed, or ia
policy of justice to corporate interests to
be applied?
The most probable answer to any such
question must be that the State platform
authoritatiyely represents the position of
the party, and that the county and CITY
platforms are merely local expressions of
opinion, which have no force. But If this
be true it remains to be explained why the
counties aad cities which do not accept the
State policy should support the State
platform. For if the answer given above
is The correct one, it follows that the local
protests against the State platform cannot
have any practical effect beyond making il
plain that the Republicans who support
both are capable of very surprising intel.
lectual gymnastics. But no matter from
what point of view We analyzs the situa.
ton, we shall be brought back to the one
perfectly clear and self.evident conclusion.
namely, that there is no principle or con.
viction behind the present campaign. The
parties and candidates are swinging
Ground the circle, making themselves all
things to all men, and the voters are ex.
pected to accept the most incongruous and
mutually destructive positions without
protest or remonstrance, merely because
they are all alike dubbsd with the party
name.
AMENDING The CONSTITUTION.