The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-04-28
A CAMPAIGN OF vlTurERArIoN.

Again, there IS no Detler way 10 XIII
off a candidate than to have his friends
base his claims on the depreciation of
the merits of his rivals. 1t is a poor
argument in favor of one man that an
other man is. untrustworthy. Besides,
there are blows to give as well as re-
ceive in this kind Of controversy, and
it is the general experience of poitti-
clans that a candidacy based on lima
tured criticism eXhausts itself before
the day Of nomination.
In fine, we reiterate the advice given
In a previous issue. 1t is little too
early to begin the campaign, and
when begun, it ought to be friendly
contest between members of the same
party. and not furious and eXacerbated
contest between factious rivals for
spoils.-B. IL. Gapitolian. Aduocate.
1t would be in strange discord with
the policy of the TELEGRAPH tor
number of campaigns, were we to dis
sent from the suggestions Of our cotem-
poraries. We have never found vitu-
peration necessary-as some Journalists,
and many moro politicians, havc--to
aid the cause of candidate whom we
preferred, or to sustain the position we
believed to be right. 1t is only the un-
learned in journalism, the selfish in
party politics, or the reckless of prin-
ciple who assert their right and their
reason by declaiming against the
rights and reason Of others. The DEM
ocratic party of Louisiana has its pres
ent standing out of concessions, COM
viduals. Starting out with unyielding
hostility to Radicalism, its leaders
have found events forcing the party to
abate somewhat of its rigor, and to &C.
cept men and measures wholly repug-
nnnt at the date Of starting. This has
been the policy of the Democratic
party since 1872 in this State, and we
can offer no better counsel than that
this policy should be accepted.
But while approving the suggestion
offered, we do not wish to be under
stood as not claiming that every public
mans political record is open to fair
and full criticism, nor that we have not
a preference, and decided preference
for men who withstood temptation in
the dark days of the political struggles
of this State, and whose energies and
courage, weakened as they may have
been by successive defeats, are yet as
sincerely enlisted in the direction of
honest government and Democratic
principles as they were fifteen years
ago. 1t may be something to have be-
longed to several political organiza-
tions and to have been Mt the summit
in each, and it may be true that even a
retreat is sometimes Il triumph but
the faithful soldier and the devoted
leader, though worsted in a hundred
battles, is to be honored in preference
to him who, rather than suffer with his
companions, seeks immunity and place
in the ranks of his enemies.
No man who aspires to public posi-
ton, with an honest purpose to be of
service to his State, aud not for the
the mere sake of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Or
the greed of Office, should wish to
avoid, but rather court n full investiga-
tion of his political antecedents. In
profane, as in sacred history, "By
their fruits, ye shall know Them"
Whatever, therefore, may be shown in |
the antecedents Of any probable candi-
date for nomination at the next Demo
cratic convention as evidence of his |
political uusoundness or of his moral |
or mental unfitness for prominent posi-
ton, is legitimate matter for pubIica-
ton. 1t is better for the journalist
taking only that contracted view of |
the matter,--that objections should be |
made and met before, rather than
after, the ticket is presented for the
peoples confidence and support.
Pertinent to the purpose of these
comments is the matter Of "rings,"
about which some of our contemporaries
of the Democratic faith are having no
little to say. Judging by their stric-
lures, and by what we gather other
wise, the Democratic party is made
up of "rings, and there is not think
ing member of the party who is not in
,.3,,rv rFs srt,,a SORT <>,s ~ hnx W. r.