Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-08-09

BELMONT COUNTY gave 327 majority
for the Republican ticket in 1886, and
the year following nearly doubled that
majority; yet in 1886 part of the Dem
ocratic county ticket was elected, and
last year one of the Republican candi-
dates for Representative was hard press
ed. Such state of affairs is the result,
to large extent, of personal campaigns,
against which such earnest protest was
made at the meeting of the Central Com
mittee last Thursday. If in 1886 Com
mittee and candidates had made COM
mon cause, and by all means within
their power had labored to solidify and
strengthen Republican voters and the
Republican ticket, Republican Audi
tor could have been easily elected, pos
sibly the entire county ticket saved. In
stead, we had the humiliating spectacle
of 327 party majority in the county, and
the Democrats walking away with two
of the best offices of the county-Clerk
and Auditor.
A little reflection ought to convince
any one that personal campaigns-that
is, each individual candidate for him
self, and caring nothing for his associ-
ates upon the ticket, nor his party, either,
for that matter-are irrational, calcula-
ted to corrupt the people and demOral-
ize political organizations, and that no
individual candidate can profit from such
a canvass except at the expense of the
party supporting him and by personal
degradation. a candidate upon the Re
publican ticket in this county owes ev-
erything to his party. Except for that
majestic organization what would his
chances of election amount to? To that
he owes his highest allegiance. 1t ought
to be esteemed high privilege to lead
such a splendid column. Led by worthy
and capable men, and intelligently mar
shaled, all carrying its standards high ad
vanced, it is invincible. Without such
leadership and direction, with candidates
looking only to their selfish interests,
caring nothing whatever for anything
beyond that, the canvass is a confused
scramble, in which, so far as the local
offices are concerned, high-minded men
are apt to take but little interest; and it
is possible, if they could be counted, as
many votes of such men are lost for
that reason as are gained by the modern
methods of some candidates. Whether
this be so or not, men who seek Office at
the hands of the Republican party of
this county ought to understand that
Republican ascendancy and Republican
ideas are of the first Importance, and
that individuals, no matter who they are,
are insignificant as compared with these.
Last year, at the most important polls
in this county, the most efficient and
useful men at the polls were mOnopoliz-
ed by individual candidates, and the
Cause-except for which their following
would have been slim, indeed to
depend upon what was left, to look after
and steady its lines. This is one of the
effects of personal canvasses, and we
cite it to show how the party may be
put at disadvantage, and possibly in
jured.
We do not wish to be understood as
censuring any one, in particular. The
practice of which we write is one that
has been steadily growing in this coun-
ty for twelve or fifteen years. We know
of no especial wrong-dOing upon the
part of any Republican candidate, nor
has any one been charged with boodling
methods. COnspicuously, two Democrat
ic candidates have been; and we believe
both of them could have been beaten,
notwithstanding this alleged lavish use
of money, if Republicans could have had
the idea that it was a personal matter
wholly oblterated from their minds, and
the party lines steadied in support of
the ticket, as they might have been.
GEN. FGsK's letter accepting the NOM
ination of the National Prohibition par
ty has been given to the public. In it