Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-07-11
TmpOr.ance Of Primary Elections.

VtEY OAOANSAS e-SJ
have any thing to do with politics, the
are entirely too corrupt. Such reso
hutton is hastily made and the word
are expressed without mature thought
The question is, can man measure VI
TO the standard of good and mature
citizenship without being more or les'
a politician By politician we do MOI
mean engaging in chicanery and Sigh
of hand manipulations for the sake Of
getting an Office of emolument and
profit, nor do we mean that it is neces
sary to be Republican or Democrat
without being able to give reason fol-
being so, but we mean that interest
which shows that man desires good
government, good laws and good officers
10 execute the laws. None Of these
can be obtained by good citizens hold
ing alOof from a participation in town
and political meetings from which all
power and laws emanate. Because
there are dishonesty and fraud in poll
tics, Is the greater reason why good
citizens should take a hand in purify
ing the political sources from which
power good and bad flow in the same
stream, Just to the extent Of the par
ticipation of good citizens in the pri-
mary elections, to that extent will po-
iitical parties be rendered more healthy
and pure. If deceit and fraud are what
drive the good citizen from politics,
whore will he go or in what occupation
will he engage in which he will not be
met to q greater or less degree by the
same elements. Is the educational
world free from 1t? Is the commercial
mart a utopia of honesty? DO manu.
fActuriDg centres present superior al.
yantages in morality and business viz
tines? Is even the pulpit free from i'm
positions and do not sacerdotal robes
often cover wolves instead of sheep?
Where in this world will man go,
whore he does not see and meet with
tangible evidences ofiDjustice, of deceit,
of fraud, of vice, and of crime? Every
good citizen has got battle with these
influences. If he possesses uncommon
virtues he must share them and spend |
them for the common good-in elevat-
ing humanity and making the world
better. In what way can he make 1t |
bstter? By drawing his moral cloak
around him and shrinking from COM
tamination with the world because he |
is better than his fellows2 By stand
ing alOOf from the political arena be.
cause there is fraud in politics? By
refusing to engage in active CONNER
Cial and manufacturing trades because
somebody before has taken advantage
of the bankrupt act and cheated his
creditors? By refusing to take part in
the moral movements of the day and
refusing even to enter sanctuary of
wO rship because hypocrisy has foot
hold there? We need not await an
affirmative response for none will come.
The haven of perfection as some people
want it, will never be reached in this
life. The state of society, as we md it,
Is just as the people have made it.
Nothing exists without their. The will
Contending forces of life fight many a
battle which after all are but "draws,"
leaving the good and the bad mixed as
before. 1t is the business of every man
to take a part in these moral battles,
which make the world either better or
worse. To the extent that the good and
virtuouS participate, to that extent will
the standard of morality and good gov.
be raised, and neglect of such
10 participate brings it down in the
same proportion. After all there is
so important to the good Il
society as good government. This con.
trolls and regulates everything else, and
good government is only obtained by
an active participation in the very first
ineipieDt stages Of movement which 4
results finally in the election of law
We had not intended thus to g
when we ommenced our ar n
ticie, but we did intend to say that pri. !,
mary elections would soon be held by h
the Republican party and also by the T
Democratic party. We intended to say T
these primary meetings were the sour |,
Cos from which emanated great politi. ~
cal power, and good citizens who hold a
alOCf from them under the impression ;,
that they are of but little Importance, Il
do not understand the secret of good \
and have no very clear con- =,
ceptiOn Of their duties as citizens. As
. general thing politicians-those who
wee nothing but q political Office in view n
in pOlitics-are ON hand at the prtma- v
risp, and if all others remain away, Il
what can be expected? The primary a
elections of a politica! party are the t
sources which direct the course of the \
and give it whatever vitality a
and force it has. If the party starts C
hight it will continue right, If 1t starts v
wrong IL will be hard to change. The Ii
best way to view the result of pri. q
mary meeting is to start with 1t from
lts source and follow 1t on to see where =
b influence ends The latter however Il
'annOe b SOnnd, for It becomes incor- II