The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-10
Party Fealty.

rarity realty.
Party fealty is never strained by OPP
posing party man prior to nomina-
ton. That is not only privilege but
it is duty if the judgment is, that the /
aspirant is unworthy in any sense of
the word. A man who honestly be c
lieves that another is incompetent,
dishonest or otherwise undesirable as
an aspirant for public position, espec-
tally one where the gravest interests
of society are concerned, and does not ]
protest against such aspirations, does
not oppose with all legitimate means
at his disposal the nomination and
election of such a man, is no true
party man. His fealty to the democ-
racy and all the best interests of both
the party and the country may well
be called in question. The democracy
represents certain principles, certain
| policies of government diverse. and |
at war with those held by the repub-
lican party. If these are valuable. if |
these are they which will soonest push |
the country to that higher prosperity
to be surely found in the adoption of
the policies held by the party, then all
means, even the smallest, become of
vast Importance. We dare throw
away no chances. We must wisely
and discreetly use all honest and
legitimate means to enforce demo-
cratic ascendancy. One of the
most potent agencies of defeat
has ever been narrow, dishonest,
prejudiced and incompetent expo
nents of the party's theories.
1t becomes then the highest duty of
true democrats to oppose the nominal
ton of such men to fill important pla-
ces in the public economy. Instead
of constituting lack of party fealty,
this course is an evidence and Yalu-
able one at that, of the truest devotion
!, to the sacred cause Of pure, good,
l strong, wise, clean government.
Those who flourish the party lash over
1 the heads of men who oppose, without
d bitterness, the aspirant for position
a whom they know to be incompetent, is
/, discharging not only the highest and
: most sacred duty of party men, but
f that also of citizens and patriots.
Party fealty belongs rather to prin-
i ciple than to men. Mere men spell
e nothing, except so far as they make
,s themselves active, powerful and de.
= | voted a1Uocatac a6harantc f0 or nh a N,
r. pions of principles. These persons
- right or wrong, can claim nothing OF
y :, the score of party fealty, nothing in
~ deed as the steady, tried and tempered
10 adherents of the principles which hav,
Z kept alive the organization of tn
N democratic party through all the darl
hopeless years of the last quarter of
as century. We are of those who beIiev
s. that men are far more honest in tn
as main than they get credit for being
C. True, some errors of judgment somt
Or times seem very dishonest, but unde
~ careful examination these become ar
no parant as simply and only errors, nc
,n premeditated unfaithfulness. But
In long series of actions, of policies an
ba pursuits inimical and contrary to til
,,v general party policy and the know
nj and accepted party tenets effectuall
i'm destroys the claim to party considers
ii ton. Thus the democracy of Texs
OIL has been the party of law and orde
70 of clean, strong, economical and CO.
,o+ sentative government, and a dem
10 cratic official whose record is MAJ
70 against law and order, against clea
he llness, strength and dignity, whit
ic reveals wastefulnes and extrav
90. gance, such as expended t
I'D cash balance without an ad
nd quate return against that co
bo servatism SC necessary and so wise
Ill the policy of the state, and so far I
nm moved from the recklessness of irr
&C sponsibility-i no, can be no true e
ole ponent of the party's policies-is n
leal and loyal to the good old prime
-. pies announced and promulgated
Jefferson, and adopted by the fathe
~ of the party in every generation sin
his day.
" This is where tie shortcomings
-. party fealty shows up, and here
,oO found the misery which destroys
:" the end.
ar
nd THE presence of a healthy ca
ted balance defeated Roberts for the mol
at ination two years since. Its absen
;he may perform the same service
tut John Ireland. Thus are we impell
tn. to the same point by widely differin
M Influences.