The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-04-24

tendency towards anarchy and confu.
sion which this baleful practice is cal. |
culated to produce, let us notice some
reasons that are given which may easily
be construed as favoring the present
methods. First, we are told Democrats
systematically follow the practice Of buy
ing votes. And further, that Republicans
cannot better their condition by con.
demning men Of their own party, for the
Democrats are equally as bad, II not
worse. Let both Of these assertions be
conceded as strictly correct; what do we
gain by It? The first as to Democratic
practices we do not call in question.
And the NH, with many other Repuli-
can journals, have not been mild in the
language used denouncing this corrup.
ton. Shall we now be guilty of adopt.
ing the ways and methods Of others that
have been so fercely condemned and
make them our own7 and for the
reason that we can't make IL any better?
A word or two in looking at what
might be termed no better condition
of things to be gained by calling a halt
in the present proceedings. Take the
Democratic General Assembly of Ohio
as an illustration. Is it not a fact that
that body is building up Republican
maorities for this State? It is fact
that when any official or body Of men
as the present Legislature is smirched
with corruption or are personally or
politically resting under grave charges
of crookedness, that the party placing
such officials in places OF responsibility
and trust are losers, both in principle
and prestige. 1t is thousand times
better for any party that the honors and
profits of an Office go to the opposition,
than that the party should succeed in
securing the Office by fraud or in placing
one OF their own number in Office who
will lower the standard OF the strictest
honor in the individual. The methods
adopted by the party or the individual
which must be kept in the background,
or worse, which must be vehemently
denied at the expense of the honor of
the individual or party, is sure to bring
defeat sooner or later to the party adopt
ingit. If this be not just conclusion, in
what other way can the falling off Of
Republican majorities OF former years
be accounted for? The time was when
Republican could safely count on being
elected in Highland county after receiv-
ing the nomination of his party without
having to advance one.half of the salary
of the Office to which he aspired in order
to carry the election. Now even when
the furnishing of the sinews of war idea
is complied with the candidate often gets
left. This calls loudly for new depart
ure. First and most emphatically on
account of right principles, and for the
additional little fact that party organs
are expected to contend earnestly for
the principles to which the party pledges
itself and for which the earnest effort OF
every voter is called upon to carry out.
Another reason offered is the uncertain.
ty of the results. A financial uncer.
tainty is no insignificant reason at
least to men who are only seeking coun-
ty offices.
The popular verdict of an election is
uncertain enough in itself, without in
volving with it large money ventures.
This last may be considered matter Of
policy, nevertheless it also calls for a
new departure. It is of no avail for one
to solace himself with the thought that
the men who advocate and encourage
the use of money in carrying elections
are honest in their belief that elections
can only be carried in that way. The
honesty OF belief does not insure correct
belief, else the people OF Salem colony
were justifsble in burning old women as
witches. Belief in, and the practice OF
dishonest methods is as sure to produce
dishonest men as melted snow on the
will take its downward course
toward the stream below. If perman-
ency OF party enters into the considera-
ton, If principle is to receive any thought
in the management of the Republican
party, then new departure is absolute
ly necessary.
This demand for change OF method
is not confined to the NH. There are
hundred of voters in this county who
are impressed with the same thought.
Men who have been disgusted with the
style of campaigning which has been
the order for some years past; men who
are true to the party in every sense of
the word, but they are men who cannot |
tolerate or countenance party supremacy
through fraud and corruption.
In former Article in this paper the
charge was made that the men who
were known boodlers and self-constitut-
ed party leaders were most to blame,