Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-12
A WORD OF UNAsKED ADVICE.

turns the cold shoulder, in dispensing its
hOnors upon those who have stood most
valiently for il, has no reason to expect
devotion from any of its membership. If
the Democratic party in California is SEN
sible to that which distinguishes nobility
OF character from baseness, it will, in
listing its delegation for its National Con-
vention, not make the mistake of emitting
from the ranks of its representatives a
partisan who stood for it in the recent
struggle at Washington for the location of
the Convention in California. 1t ought
out Of pure gratitude to seek out Hon.
john p. Irish and put him foremost in the
delegation. While the Democratic party
may be indisposed to accept advice from a
political antagonist, its leaders ought to
be sufficiently clear-sighted and sensible
to realize the imp rtance of recognizing
notably high service rendered by one of its
ablest champions in the interest of the
State, in devotion to which there is no
partisan rivalry among its citizens.
1T was very desirable that the National
Democratic Convention should assemble
in 1888 in California. That desire was
common with all the people, and rose
superior to all political considerations.
As Californians, the value of securing the
visit to the State of such large body OF
representative men of one of the two
great political parties of the nation was
apparent to Democrats and Republicans
alike. No enlargement upon that head
was necessary to give force to the senti
ment of which the desire to locate the
Convention of 1888 in San Francisco was
born. The chagrin is mutual among men
of all parties that the effort failed, and
that it is impossible of renewal for four
years to come.
We undertake to say that it is matter
not open for defensible contradiction that
had Mr.. Irish not been met at Washington
by the ghost of political envy and rancor-
Gus jealousy that stalked across the CONT
nent from the charnel house of the dead
past of Democratic factional contests, he
would have won for this State the honor
of entertaining the legion of delegates
and the thousands accompanying them.
There was no man, and this fact all Cali
fornians recognize, present at the commit
tee session in Washington hailing from
California, who could have nearly so well
presented the claims of the State, and not
one so well qualified by political expert
ence, broad knowledge of the East and
natural gifts Of address TO labor to that
end. But Mr.. Irish WAS checked in his
iaudable endeavor BY amazing unwisdom
on the part of managers, whose incompe-
tency lost California her opportunity. A
gentlemen foreign to the State was put
forward In place of the one man of all
Others who should have been made fore
most, and the effect upon the committee
was precisely the reverse of what was
hoped for.
1t may not be possible to IMMUNE petty
envy and jealous littleness in the Demo-
cratic party, nor to lay the restless shade
that rises out of the tomb of the old Stock
ton Convention; but it ought to be posi-
BILE for California Democracy to develop
sufficient of the virtue of gratitude to send
Mr.. Irish to the National Convention, if for
no other reason than that We have no
idea, whether he is a candidate for the po-
sition, or if his friends propose to hazard
the cast of his name before the State Con-
vention, but there ought to be spontaniety
OF voice in that body in naming him,
whether he will or not.
TO the Republicans il does not greatly
matter whom their political opponents
choose. They might well be gratifed as
partisans and opponents to see them put
weak timber into all their structures; but as
Californians they have a clearly-defned
interest in every representative body sent
out from the State California is but a
very small part of the nation. In the at
mosphere of our own enthusiasm for the
splendid heritage We enjoy, we are very
apt to fancy the State as large in Eastern
estimation politically and commercially
and socially as in area. The truth is that
California and her concerns are of least
moment among the 100000 of people be-
yond the mountains. The Californian who
goes to the East inflated with the idea that
the Importance of this State is there a
matter of profound interest, has the con-
ceit taken out of him very soon after
crossing the great plains 1t is due to the
fact that we are such small factor in ma
tional concerns that it is so difficult to
command hearing at the East, either in
legislative or commercial preferment.
1t is of first Importance that every OPP
portunity to impress the great East with
the true character of the State and its
due at the hands of the nation shall be
improved. Neither party, therefore, should
let the advantage National Convention
offers to this end escape 1t. The delega-
tons ought to represent us in more WAYS
than political 1t is, therefore, the part of
wisdom to choose leaders for them with
both objects in view-high partisan repre-
sentation, and intellectual aggressive bold
ness and ability. When the Democracy
can do this and at the same time paw the
tribute of gratitude to a champion who
was, to put it mildly, rudeiy treated in his
own camp in his latest effort for the State,
and fails it does California quite as much
injury as itself Not that there are not
other men it can send to st. Louis, intel
lectually strong and representative adroit
and masterful, but We venture the asser-
ton, in matter that is not our political
concern, that the party cannot more effect
ually express its gratitude for service,
and at the same time better serve the State
than by sending Mr. Irish along with
these, to aid in making California Just as
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