San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-10-02
OPPOSED ToA CONVENTION
A Prominent Republican Thinks an Hon
Orable Defeat Better Than Dis
honorable Victory.

honorable Victory.
Editor San Antonio LIGHT.
IL Is with sorrow in my heart that
read your editorial in yesterdays LIGHT
under the heading of yesterdays Les
sons" for am free to say that since the
/ paper has been under It's present edit
| torial management have been satisfied
with its course in the matter OF county
politics. But you say there is but one
thing remaining for republicans to do
90 and do likewise"
NV friend, your advice is i'll timed, for
we have already done. We had con-
vention, fairly called and on the whole
fairly conducted, ard the republicans in
solemn cOnclave decided not TO put a
tirkpt in the field
We have acted, and now let us lay In
the bed we have made for ourselves. NO
matter if we did do a very foolish thlng
and dropped the substance for the
shadow, let us swallow our regrets for
this year. and set ;he pegs for better
work next time. Let us not, in addition
to being political fools, act the part OF a
lot of boys and descend to tricks.
Let us. like men Ofsense, see our folly,
and if we cannot be wise, at least be
consistent
We have license, it is true, to make
mics, but we are not oblige to do II,
and for one. most positively refuse TO
ioin in any farce, such as calling another
convention and placing ticket in the
field. We can not claim, by calling a
convention now, to speak the voice OF
any party as a party, for the party has
issued its edicts and it would only be
the purest folly to rise IN public now and
say we have changed our base on the eve
of the battle. The better plan will be to
let the aspiring office-seekers who were
strong enough to break up our party or
ganization, measure their strength I'M
supported by their party, with the dem
Ocratic party, and let those republicans
who wanted straight goods stand and
look on at the fight as disinterested
spectators, or if they see fit, vote the
straight democratic ticket as rebuke to
those who think less Of their party than
they do OF a few dissatisfied democrats.
DO anything rather than play baby and
make ourselves the laughing stock of the
community. IL the executive committee
should call another convention | trust
there will not be one of those republic
cans, who insisted on nominations in our
last convention, found in that new con-
yentiOn, and from what | have been able
to learn, | am satisfied there will be few
If any of them, who are willing to place
themselves in such a ridiculous position.
There is lesson to be learnt and we
may as well repeat 1t over frequently
that it may be ever present with us in
the future. That lesson is; Beware OF
the man who is anxious to break up his
party to further his own ends, either
politically or financially.
Certainly, if we ever expect to
command the respect of our enemies
or to gain strength by bringing into our
own party those not closely allied to any
party, we can only do so by presenting
every time solid front with our best
men for candidates.
The two parties in this county are
near enough even, for the ticket most
entitled to support on account of the
merit of the candidates to win, regard
less of party, and those who have the
future success Of the party in view
must know that tricks and combinations
are but sorry remedies at best.
Do not advise any tricks my friend.
Even success is not desirable if it be
gotten at the expense of our selfrespect.
An honorable defeat is better than a dis
honorable victory.
The calling of convention now,
would not Only be trick but coward
ly trick not thing dictated by reason,
or principle but forced on us by the dis
rupting republican candidates who are
forced through fear now to come back to
the party, whose nominations they re-
fused with sCOrn, to ask its support.
Oh, manhood, for shame.
S. NJ. JOHNSON.