, 1886-10-07
POLITICAL SLAVERY.

10 this free land Of ours differences in
opinion must always exist, and these diff
ferences generally arrange themselves ac-
cording to leading issues, and constitute
the origin of parties. Both are in the
main made up of sincere and earnest men,
each working for the right as 1t is given
him to see it and generally, except in a
case of exceptional fanaticism, the really
honest believer in any principle accords to
others the same right which he claims for
himself. 1t is only the frequent turncoat
or the time server, who is violent, and
every intelligent man knows that politics
has no more to do in determining private
character than has religious belief. But
parties must organize in order to succeed,
and certain machinery is essential to main
tain organization. Hence the propriety
of voting for ones party, but 1t eften
happens that active. INSCRIPTIONS adyen'
turers with no real faith in anything
except in so far as it may serve their turn,
get control Of this machinery and use it to
keep themselves and their followers in
power. Then it is time to revolt, but 1t Is
frequently the case that the good men
wait until it is too late. The party whip
is brandished and they fear even to seem
to abandon principles to which, perhaps
through life, they have adhered and in
which they thoroughly believe. After a
time, of course, despair brings Letter
counsel and they do rebel; the ring domi-
nation is crushed, and the party reformed.
Political servitude is the only surviving
form of slavery, but those who suffer
under it have only themselves TO blame.
Can there be a more complete mental
serfdom for a free and honest voter than
to be compelled year after year to support
for the same offices a few who have man
aged to secure n pretense Of formal right
to dictate nominations? Does not this
state of things obtain to-day in the Re
publican ranks of Laramie county, Let
no matter whom become a candidate,
be spoken of as a candidate. or
himself a%spire-anl it is every
freeman's right to aspire to any Office in
the land-and what is the RESULT Has
any man outside of the ring itself and
their immediate followers. who enters the
arena without money and without those
far reaching but insidious means of cor
%ruptiun which the possession of money
%confers even without its actual use-a
ghost OF a chance Yet there is not an
Office on the ticket of a purely political
nature except those of a legislative char
acter. and not one which would affect the
strength of either party ON a political is
sue, whether it should b. filed By a Re
publican or n Democrat, provided he were
an honest man, and, thank God, there is
ho dearth of honest men on either side.
Besides, these legislative offices are not
those coveted by the ring, though fire.
quently bestowed on their tools. The
masses of honest Republicans who ne cx
pected to do the voting, and find them
selves in high honor about election times
to be ignored throughout the resi- of the
year, would do well to ponder thesethings
in their hearts. They may choose to en-
dure a political thraldom which .tl.ey
could break at a breath, but in 50 doing
they are showing themselves unworthy of
the American name.
Were such tyranny to be exercised or do