Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-11-04
FALSE CGEEDs MAKE HYPocgIrEs.

! WhenJudge Mem. Shafter the other night
told his audience that the propositions of
the Republican State platform were uncon.
stitutional and therefore worthless, he
made a statement which was authorita.
tive. He added that every lawyer knew
the fact to be 60. There is no doubt
about it, indeed, as this journal has abund.
antly demonstrated. But what can be
| thought of the morality of the party man.
ayers who deliberately framed and adopted
that false AMI fraudulent platform, and
what can be thought of the candidates who
have been indorsing it all over the State
ever since? One hears hide.bound par
tisans sometimes express the opinion that it
is the duty of every member of party to
accept the regular party creed, no matter
what it may contain. We venture to say
that this theory is untenable and immoral.
1t never can be the duty of an honest man
to do dishonest act. And it is dishonest
to pretend that falsehoods are truths, and
that shams are realities. 1t has been said
that one reason why SO much skepticism
has crept into the Church of England is
that until quite recently everyone who
joined either of the great English universe.
ties was obliged TO subscribe to the
Thirty nine Articles. Now these Thirty.
nine Articles embrace several propositions
which it is not possible for any educated
and intelligent person to accept. And the
consequence of having to pretend to accept
them naturally and inevitably had very
demoralizing influence upon chose who
took the oath. Just so it is with party
platforms. When they are false and fraud
ulent, as the Republican platform this year
is, all who, realizing their falsity, never
theless accept them, and pretend that they
are true, must be demoralized, degraded
and made hypocrites of. And this is of
the very essence of such platforms. 1t is,
in fact, one of the main objects of their
existence. The moral standard of every
campaign is fixed by the nominating Con.
vention. 1t decides whether the party
shall take an honest or dishonest posi-
ton. And if it chooses the latter, it at
the same time insults every member of the
party by calling upon them to Join in the
dishonesty.
Estee of course, and all who are with
him on the stump, know perfectly well
that the platform is a tissue of fslsehood
and fraud, and that it was devised for the
sole purpose OF deceiving the voters. He
and his followers, therefore, must be set
down as conscious hypocrites and impostors.
They are engaged in systematic and de.
liberate conspiracy against the people.
They are trying to cheat them out of offices
to which they have no legitimate claim. It
follows alEo that if the Republican ticket
was successful-a very large if as the
case stands, we must confess-.his sham
platform would be flung aside at once, and
all the candidates-elect would return to
their natural status and cease making false
pretenses. But it is evident that the effect
of such canvass as the present uron pub
lie morals Cannot but be bad. The people
arc faniliarizsd with the most impudent
and brszen political imposition. They see
men come forward, and while Stimulating
the truth. state the most fulsome lies.
They see these men pledgipg themselves
day after day to the carrying out of pro-
gramme which they know to be anconsti.
tutional and therefore impra,ticable. They
are made to realize that in politics false.
hood is worshiped in preference to truth.
Such lessons are of necessity mischieeous,
and they tend to corrupt the public mind