New-York tribune., 1884-12-07
LOYALTY TO PfRTY.

What constitutes Republican Fidelity to
the purposes of the party, is ii notf fldelity
first of all. and most of all, to its principles
Then. necessarily, fidelity to its efforts IN De-
half of its principles. The man is not and can
not be n Republican who does not believe with
the Republican party, who does not seek the
same ends in government. And necessarily the
man puts himself outside the pale of the party
who opposes the efforts which the party makes
TO secure the success of its principles.
These considerations are so obvlous that 1t Is
strange anybody ever Overlooks them. Yet
they are constantly overlooked, and partlcu-
larly the first and most important OF them. 1t
is conceivable that under some circumstances
opposition to particular candidate, or oppoSi-
ton to particular measure may not involve
definite separation from the party. But 1t Is
not conceivable that a man has any night To
consider himself, or to claim consideration from
others, as a member of a party, if he does not
believe in its principles, OF seek the same re-
suits which it seeks through political action. 1t
is surprising that, in all the discussion as to the
continuance or admission Of persons who dld
not support the Republican party at the recent
election, this most important of all considera-
tions is so very often omitted.
1t is a cardinal principle of the Republican
party that duties on imports should be adjusted
for the purpose of protecting home industry
The course of the party for more than twenty
years would establish that fact if not word
had appeared in any platform on the subject
But the platforms of the party, also, ever since
its organization. have formally committed the
party to the principles of protection. Now there
are. as all know, considerable number OF men
in this city, in Brooklyn. in New-llaven and IN
Boston. who threatened to oppose the Repubh-
can party at the recent election, II the Demo-
Gratis would support a bill like the one offered
by Mr. Morrison, and who aftcrwad did oppose
the Republican party. Their principal motive,
as all know, whether they deny it or not, was
hostility to the system of protection. WITH
such men it is not so much a question whether
their opposition to the Republican candidate in
a single election should be held To separate
them permanently from the party the greater
question is whether they have any sympathy
with Republican principles, whether in fact
they are Republicans at all. Perhaps
il would be wiser in the discussions
which are likely 20 occur in the
future If this phase of the question should hc
frequently Uikft NHNHE'HlNlH w "H 'H''N'-
dual can possibly be put on the prctcN that the
mdi,dua does not merit support. Hut the
broader question always remains. and ought
always to hc carefully kept in mind whether
there is in fact any real attachment to Rcpuh-
licnn principles, or u sct desire To resist ana
defeat them. The man who does not accept
the platform of his party, who argues against
it on all occasions, who unites himself with
organizations hostile to Il cardinal principle OF
his party, who uses every opportunity IN pub
lie or in private to teach hostile doctrine, can
not be in any proper sense OF the word Ke-
publican. 1t matters little what he calls him
self (; it matters little what his relations TO in
dividuals may have been in the past; the man
is hostile to Republican principles, and has no
more business in that party, or in any OF It's
organizations, than any other Democrat.