Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-07-31
PARTY DISCIPLINE SHOULD BE PRE-.
SERVED.
From the Odessa Democrat.

FROM the ODESSA democrat.
1t is plainly evident that some very
plain talk will have to be INDUCED in
between this and November, if the
democratic party of this county is rep
resented in its proper light before the
people.
When the executive committee re-
tains in its councils a man who, to graf
ify q private spite against n or more
of the nominees of the party, writes
letters both over his own signature and
fictitious ones, pretending to regret,
and at the anne time magnifying, the
discussions of the party in this county,
and scattering his effusions broadcast
over the state, thereby encouraging the
republican party in this county and
throughout the state, it is high time that
the committee or its secretary should
abdicate.
The people elected the committee,
and they elected them to manage the
details of the campaign in the interests
of the democratic party. Can they DO
this with a secretary hostile to the sue
cess of the ticket nominated by the peo-
pie, whose letters to the public are be-
ing quoted by the republican press as
an indication of the weakness OF the
party he is in honor bound to defend
or get out of the way for some one who
will?
This seems to be a plain statement OF
a fact which has seemed patent to us for
some time, and which we should have
spoken of ere now but for the opinion
of the chairman of the county COM
mittee that the gentleman vas seeking
notoriety, and persecution in order
to pose as a martyr; that his eff
fusions had no influence in Lafay-
cite county, and that it vas best to
let him write himself out, when he
would probably quit. But he does not
seem to be any nearer the end OF his
warfare upon the democratic party
now than he was some weeks ago.
The only position Mr.. Geo. Wilson
has rel occupied in the party of this
county is the rather accidental IL
which he now holds of clerk or secreta-
ry of the democratic county executive
committee. He is not a member of the
committee, and has, we believe, served it
but once. and that was at the called meet
ing at Higginsville when he was made
secretary. Still, his position gives his
u~tterances a semi-oficial character and
whatever of weight they possess.
No political party a live without
organization. A party organizes itself
for its own lite and benefit, presume
ably from among its friends. Good
faith demands that if any of its officers,
high Or low, become opposed to its
welfare that they shall step out of the
way and permit their place to be filled
by men who are loyal and true.
MIR. Wilson has, ver since the prim-
aries, attacked the integrity of the COM
mittee of which he is the secretary, ac-
cusing it, instead of being actuated for
the welfare of the party, of having set
the time OF the primary IN the interest
of Senator Cockrell. This is notorious
ly untrue, because, as We have pointed
out before, the gentleman who moved
the time which was adopted was a
pronounced anti Cockrell man; and
because the most Jealous friends of
Senator Cockrell in the county were in
favor of a late primary.
Mr.. Wilson accuses the party of be-
ing boss and ring-ridden, when as a
matter-of fact there has never in its
history been such a fragrant attempt to
dictate to the party, and to bullyrag it
when the dictation failed, as has been
| evinced in Mr.. Wilson's articles before
and since the primary election. If the
democratic party of this county made
its nominations by Tammany or similar
fsctions, which were but a portion OF
the party, there might be justice in
MI. Wilson's structures as to bosses and
rings. No doubt there are would be
rings and would-be bosses in
this party as in all parties, men
who wish to rule or ruin, but the party
does not permit itself to be controlled
by any faction within It. On the con-
trary it provides for the nomination OF
its candidates by a vote of all of its
members. Every man seeking nomina-
ton canvasses before them on an equa
footing, and the assertion that they
submit to be bossed is gratuitous anC
untrue.
MIR. Wilson gives currency to an as.
sertion that 800 republicans voted in
the primary. Not a vestige of proof
has been adduced to support this allie
cation, which was first advanced b,
the Herald, a newspaper that boltet
the action OF the party as to the vot'
upon senator, and that while refusing
to hoist the democratic ticket fails t,
produce a scintilfa of evidence to JUST
fly its apostasy toward the party.
Mr.. Wilson, we are told. we did moi
see the article, has made an attack up
on the nominee tor the legislature be
cause he is not a farmer, when no on,
knows better than he, that Mr.. Hicklil
is the son of one of the pioneer farm
ers of this county, is himself a farme
as well as lawyer, and was nominated
by farmers.
With MI. Wilson's rights as a citizel
we have nothing to do here. We have
not, either, entered into the motive
governing his actions, as we are in thi
article only considering him in All OF
fetal capacity; but We do not hesitate
to ay,that he owes it to himselt,as vel
as to the democratic party, either t
resign his position or to support tn
nominees of his party.
If Mr.. Wilson does not choose to d,
this it is evidently the duty of the com
mittee to meet and purge itself of a,
officer who is in open treason to tn
party, and doing all in his power t
disintegrate it and bring it into dis
repute. The chairman, we understand
> is ready to call the committee togethe
upon the request of any one member
in order to take action upon the mat
> ter, but Mr.. Wilson would simplif
! matters by resigning, or by publicl
: giving in his adhesion to the party
= action at the polls.
POst:-"A democrat, a defeate