Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-08-31
f.AuCAsrER, PA. August 81, 1889.
The Difference.

AdIutant General Hastings in recent
intsfview declares himself ready to enter
~ race for the Republican nomination
10s governor II he sees that he will have
3 fhit chance for the prize all of which
= no news to any Of the coloncrs
acQuAintances rs no one would accuse
him Of refusing the nomination II he
could get 1t, any more than he was
ready to charge Mr.. Bigler, as a Clear
neld county Democrat, with DISPOSE
tion TO refuse the nomination of his
party for the treasurership this fall
Col. Hastings remarked that though
there was no chance of the election of
Democratic treasurer, Mr.. Bigler
would accept the nomination, as
. Clearfield county Democrat was
never known to refuse anything. The
chlef difference in the colonel's mind
between q Cleartield Democrat and
Centre Republican Is that the one will
take = nomination though he may ex-
pect to he beaten, while the other will
have no stomach for it unless he is fully
sure Of election. Colonel Hastings In
this. with unconscious accuracy, de-
scribed the difference between Repub-
lican and Democratic patriot the
formers devotion to his party Is founded
upon Its ability to provide him plunder,
while the Democrat loves 1t for It's own
sake and willingly goes to defeat in bear
ing aloft its flag. Republican statesman
ship has no conceptions of the beauty
and virtue of an unselfish devotion to
principle, nor any use for n party with
s out crib.
The Republican leaders Of Pennsyl-
vania have 10 long fed upon the fatness
Of the state that Col. Hastings natur-
ally refuses to believe that there can be
m end to their dominion. He regards
. nomination Of his party M an election
and II fervid for 1t accordingly. Ht
looks upon Mr.. Bigler's willingness tc
accept Democratic nomination as Il
mark Of mental unsoundness peculiar u
= Clearfield county atmosphere he
thinks Mr.. Bigler has no chance of elec.
tion, and he thinks he himself knows he
cannot be, and is ready to run only to
fulfill a peculiar Clearfield county idea
Of glory.
It may he that the Democratic nomi.
nee for state treasurer will be defeated
and II may not bc. 1t may be that the
Democratic candidate Is worthy to be
called fool for his pains; and II may be
otherwise. We venture TO hold tn,
opinion, however, that II Is nobler for 4
man to be ready to accept his party''
nomination regardless than regardfu
Of the chances Of election. Though Col
Hastings may not know 1t, the fact re
mains that the theory of u Democrac!
demands that the citizen should he eve
ready to serve his country as its pcopl
may command. This theory, under Re
publican administration, has beeI
showed under and the idea of thi
class Of politicians is that they shal
take the offices and that the peopl
shall ratify their nominations.
Mr.. Edward Bigler has been brough
up after the straightest sect of tn
Democracy and believes in the doctrin
that the people rule and that goo'
Democrat should be ready always +
take his stand in the place to whicl
be seems to he called by the party in
terest. In this spirit he Is ready :
accept the Democratic nomination fo
state treasurer, If he shall he called
and II quite as ready to call another VIII
may seem more eligible. The conven
tion cannot fail TO make strong nomi
nation with Mr.. Bigler TO fall back upon
His nomination would be an admirabl
one; though We think that Mr.
Wherry, of Cumberland, would b
stronger, at this time, with his record il
the Assembly fresh before the peopl
> and the state issues which he raise
destined TO Ike leading ones In the ear
vass.