The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-09-13
DEMOCRATIC CYLINDERS.

| DEMOCRATIC BLUNDERS.
Is the Democracy to be learned an
other lesson in adversely by the nomi
nation, in Ohio. of Judge Hoadly
Only few years ago he was staunch
Republican, and with such record hi
was taken up when the state was full
of true and long tried Democrats who
could have rallied, not dispersed the
party forces. denomination of Ewing
and of Bookwaltef ought toihave beer
good enough lessons from which tc
learn, but they were not. The advo
cacy of Mr.. Greeley for the presidency
though one of the noblest acts of con.
ceSsion on the part of the Southern
people, was, politically, signal error
The nomination of Mr.. Tilden; with
the many antagonists I'd him, rallied,
| however, the Democrats; and he was
elected because he had always been a
true Democrat His failure to express
himself in support Of his claim was as
unlocked for as it was reprehensible,
and he thereupon forfeited the respect
of his party. The nomination of Gen.
Hancock was the endorsement of a
true Democrat, but he had been
trained as rigid soldier; not as d
statesman, and not realizing the i'm
portance of great political Question
he committed himself publicly to the
Reputation of plank in the Demo-
cratic platform, and thus he, the NOM
inee, lost hundreds of thousands of
votes. THE STATESMAN, in 1880,
was earnestly in favor of
the nomination of states
man, whose name through gene
rations had been intimately associated
with the most exhalted Democracy.
1t had seen and recognized the errors
committed in the nomination of COM
promise men and was satisfied, as it is
now satisfied, that the way for a
party to succeed is through the nomi-
nation of its truest partisans. The
Republican party has been most sue
ceSsful IN the election of it's nominees,
and it is rule of Republicanism to
recognize only the faithful. The NOM
ination of Mr.. Hayes in 1876 was
probably the weakest it has ever made
for the presidency, and had the Dem
ocrats not opposed him with a gen.
uine and tried Democrat they would
most probably have elected their NOM
inee instead Of stealing the presidency.
The relation of the partisan voters to
partisan nominations is shown not
only in federal elections but in the
states, even in Texas. Richard Coke
was twice elected governor of Texas
by over 100000 majority. His parti-
sanism was of sort which no Dem
ocrat doubted. Every Democrat voted
for him whether the man was per-
sonally preferred or not. So
it was with Judge o. M. Roberts
when he was nominated. He had al
ways been Democrat, had always
run for Office on genuine Democratic
principles, had always supported such
principles and had always scorned the
idea of being used for undermining
its power. Though not supported
with the same zeal as Mr.. Coke, he
was nevertheless heartily sustained
by the rank and file of his party. Va
rious reasons-have been given for his
majorityfalling behind that of Mr..
Coke, hey were personal, not parti-
san. n we see, at the last election,
Mr.. Ireland elected by 10000 less than
the true Democratic majority, while
the full vote of the state was polled.
This was caused by the refusal of par
tisans to sustain one, who had opposed
Democratic principles in opposing
Mr.. Schleicher for congress, who had
bid in that race, fresh in the minds
of people, for the vote that
opposes Democracy and had received
it and because his subsequent life
had been tinctured with desire
OF run for office on any ticket.
1t was known that the tenn
perance convention, that met at
Waco, seriously considered pro-
position to nominate him, and that
the consideration of this PROPOSE
ton came from intercourse already
had with him. Democrats and Re
publicans are both attracted with
greater force towards Thoroughly tried
and tested partizans than towards
those who have shown disposition
to waiver, or who are fresh converts.
Ben Butler may be cited as an eXcep-
ton, but the people of Massachusetts
were driven to desperation by the evil
administration of Republicans, and it
was probably concluded that Ben was
honest at last in declaring again
for his first love. 1t was at
least believed by many that
he had been a Republican simply
for policy sake, hoping thereby to Sc
cure place in Republican state, but
the truth of what we assert about par
tisanism was never more forcibly
shown than in the refusal of Republi-
cans to sustain Ben Butler during his
confession of faith as Republican. 1t
was known they could not depend upon
him in time of need, and the rule as
applied to him by them is applicable
to all men who do not hold firmly to
political convictions. Another nota-
BILE case in proof of what we hold to
be true is that of Gov. st. John, of
Kansas. He became too much of
to be regarded as longer
a trusty Republican, and hence he was
defeated in decided Republican state
by a Democrat. Many more instances
might be named, where lack
of partisan zeal or partisan
record has initiated against
the popularity of nominees. We as
sumo this TO be the cause of much of the
trouble in Ohio. Gen. d urbin Wards
failure, in his late speech, to men
ton, by name. the Democratic nominee
speaks volumes. The old war-horse
spoke of principles, not Of the candidate
Were he able to tell of the zeal of Mr..
Hoadly. of his long time service to
these principles, he could yet create
ardor among the Democrats, and Ohio
would be carried by them. What the
effect of troubles and lack of zeal in
Ohio and New York may be is to be
seen. Results are dreaded, but it is
hoped the pitfalls in the path of De-
mocracy in these states may be safely
4 49,. n