Daily Yellowstone journal., 1884-09-20
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES /.


this question Il 10 well to bear In mind
the peculiar position Of territory In
national affairs. Situated "a We are
with reference 10 the federal govern
ment, the relation Of territorial 10 ma
ti0nal politics needs no elaboration.
Republicanism or Democracy or by
whatever names the rival political
parties of the nation are known, inter-
est and concern US rs citizens of ter.
ritory only to the extent theory may
dictate, or early association incline In
the opinion of such individual. Be-
yond the perpetuation of the party
there can be but little practical differ
ence to the people Of Montana which
party may succeed in the present
struggle In the states. The Republic
can citizen desires the success Of that
party as enlbodying the correct policy
Of government; and the Democratic
citizen entertains the same desires
with reference to the party of his
preference for a like reason according
to his belief As a matter of fact,
however, as long ~ We remain practi-
cally disfranchised with neither voice
nor vote In national affairs Republi-
canism and Democracy will he little
else than theoretical SO far as party
supremacy Is concerned In the terri
tory. Even In the election of dele
gates to Congress the issues between
the parties have less concern to us
than the election of delegate In poll
tical accord with the party in the ma
jority and holding the reins of govern.
ment. And a. We continue down
from territorial politics to district,
county, township and municipal II IL
the more apparent that the issues be-
tween the national parties ARE by each
graduation 90 much the farther re-
moved from furnishing the issues
upon which the contest is to Ike waged
In the campaign now about to begin
In our midst. There always have
been and II 10 therefore safe to say.
there always will be two or more
parties striving for the supremacy rs
long ms popular government exists,
each acting as \ check and restraint
upon the acts and aspirations of the
other. Within the next three days
two political divisions Of the voters Of
Custer county called Republicans and
Democrats, more ms a matter of dis
tinctive nomenclature than anything
else, will have met In convention and
nominated two sets Of county officers
for the choice of the people. The two
tickets will he headed respectively Re
publican and Democratic, and the
issues between Republicanism and
Democracy will nominally be- the
issues Of the campaign, but the real,
living issues must be looked for else
where than In mere party creeds and
the doctrines Of political organizations
as such. Local matters, and questions
of local import and significance will
furnish the material issues Of the can
vass. The relative merits Of free trade
and protection, as party doctrines will
have vastly less influence on the
minds of the voters than the qualifica-
lions and abilities of the respective
Their individual records.
not their political theories. will lie In
and discussed; their known
on questions affecting the
everyday concerns Of local affairs will
have more weight than their party
proclivities or partisan positions.
honesty and efficiency In
the administration Of local affairs are
the principles from which the issues
will 10 evolved and upon which the
success or defeat of either ticket !
largely depend. Believing, as we do,
that these fundamental principles
form the substructure ON which the
party has reared it, proud
fabric Of political supremacy, We can
assert In oil candor that those who are
adhercnts Of that political faith are
most likely to possess the qualifica-
cations for administering local govern
ment In acc ,rdance with the princi-
piles, which have met the approval Of
the people. Until after the conven-
tions shall have completed thei" work,
the campaign can not he said to have
opened, nor the issues he clearly de.
fined, but let the battle lie fought on
the issues of the day IN Custer county
and the Republican party need have