The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-09-30

/ nave no erect upon the strength OF the
respective parties, merely because one
ticket was disguised, understand but little
OF the influences which enable party to
go forward and accomplish its mission, or
leaves it TO defeat for want of strength.
! OF course every one understands perfect
ly we'll that county officers will not, in
the administration of their offices,
have anything to do with enforcing or
defeating any of the measures of public
policy upon which the political parties of
the country are divided. But do the
county candidates and county canvasses
have no effect on the building up and
strengthening Of party so that it will
make converts and hold its membership
intact for the purposes of which it was
organized?
If we believe that the democratic doc
trines,if carried out in the administration
of the gOS eminent are better calculated
than the doctrines of any other panty to
protect the people from oppression, either
by the hand of government or monopolistic
powers and to secure the people good gov
eminent, then it is our duty to strengthen
that party and weaken its opponents by
every Legitimate means.
tions and the nomination by political par
ties of county officers are the means of
strengthening the party and, doubly so,
If its nominees are successful. By this
means alone can you stimulate enough
agitation among the people of the issues
which divide political parties, and in
which the people are vitality concerned to
cause the masses of the people to study
such issues and pass well considered
vote on them by voting for political
party-the only means through which the
people can vote directly upon the leading
public questions.
The newspapers and books furnish the
opportunity for all reading people to in
form themselves, but unless there is agita-
ton, discussion and eXertion on political
questions, interviewer with the exciting
question of the success or defeat of friends,
who are party nominees, thousands would
remain ignorant of the leading questions
of the day who, under the poll
tlcal zeal stimulated more by local
conventions than through any
other means are induced to think and
read of the questions involved between
the parties. Thus the local party conven-
tions are great aids in inducing the PEG
pie to educate themselves in matters of
government which must affect, more or
less, their interests. The tricks and nm
fairness of party schemers will not pre-
vent this good from local conventions any
more than abolishing conventions would
avoid political trickery! If, therefore,
the democratic principles are such as the
people are more likely to adopt after
agitation and discussion, than the views
of any other party, then it is great.
ly to the advantage of this party to hold
county conventions and make county
nominations az the greatest means of
provoking universal interest in the
questions involved whereby the party
will hold its membership ,and gather
members from other parties and the
rising generation.
And when we make nominations. of
course it is of vital interest that we elect
the nominees, else the very fact of defeat
by the opponents of democracy will
weaken the party in numbers and activity.
Nothing succeeds like success" In any
large organization of people there are
some weak hearted who are discouraged
by defeat and grow hopeless, others who
want to be in the strong and successful
crowd because they will feel prouder
there, and still large crowd more who
are "casting anchors windward" and go
TO the strong party for Office The dem
ocratic party wants all such men, for
however unworthy they may be on ac-
count of the motives from which they
act, they are not inconsiderable in num-
bers,. and have votes and
infuanaa and if thau M n
be led to do good by helping the demo-
cratic party to carry out its great mission
they might it were better that they be
used to this good purpose than allowed
to stray away from our party and
strengthen our enemies.
Most office holders in Travis county
will be men of strong influence among
their friends and neighbors, and if the
democrats go to sleep and permit the So
called independents to defeat the demo-
cratic party in this county, they must be
prepared to see the offices filled, not with
independents in fact, but with men who,
whatever political opinions they may
have, or whether without opinions will
nevertheless be opposed to the democrat
ic party, because it opposed them, and
they will use their influence
with their neighbors and friends
against the party. Unsuspecting &
democrats will have added to these enc.
mics the power of Office holding and in
fuence with which to abuse the demo
cratic party and draw from its members.
The republican paper in this city (the
Austin Citizen, in advocating the indie
pendent ticket, says: "The independents
in this city elected mayor half dozen
times, and finally broke up the demo-
cratic party in this city. All that has
ever been gained over the democratic
party in this county was by an independ-
ent vote"
Here is an open confession of the very
object of the independent ticket: to
break up and dem0Falize the democratic
party" That is the object of the repub-
licans.
The question is, will the democrats be
blinded enough by the plausible plea OF
independents and no politics in county
Offices" to fall into the trap laid and
baited by the republicans Or will they
look through the thin guise of so-caIled
independence and see the republican
nominees, in fact, the adopted" sons of
the republican party, and vote against
such ticket as did so many democrats in
the last two canvasses for congress in this
district in which so-caIIed indeDendents