Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-11-21
A CONTRAST.

1
is the wise policy.
CONTRAST.
Republicans of Ohio faced the defeat
of their party in 80, faced the bitte1
antagonism of all opposing parties
against the new tariff and the silver
Legislation of the last congress; antag.
onism that was joined in by democrats
alliance, st. Johnnies, union labor and
all other opponents Of republican rule
and, without a culver of hesitation,
boldly put at the head OF their ticket
the man who was the author and cham.
pion of the tariff and the leader in charge
OF the silver legislation. In a word
Ohio republicans acted upon established
principles of their party without word
of apology and without trucking to oh.
jectors or bidding for their votes by the
least letting down of their banner in in
vitation to weakened partisans OF
mug-wumps seeking to be courted.
In selecting the head of their ticket,
they also wisely chose man Of brains,
OF known character, a representative
man of republican ethics; one who had
made a record as q statesman and Que
who was able and ready to stand be-
fore the people and give the ground of
his party faith in language direct, forci-
bic and convincing.
Result, victory.
Republicans of Iowa, in q state
which, moro than Ohio, is and has been
republican in numbers, and which, with
bold front and earnest effort might
have been reclaimed, were weak and
pusillanimous.
They were weak in their connsels,
trucking in their platform, on the de-
fensive in their campaign, scared at the
alliance bug.a-boo, fearful and apollo
getic in their speech making, even their
ablest newspapers either lacking the
courage or controlled by leaders against
the advocacy of national questions and
the earnest preaching of American doc
trines; and, above and beyond all else,
with bead to their ticket without
known qualities, with no ability to
preach the truth to the people; chosen
as q sop to the alliance whale.
Against him was q man of known
ability, an able debater, a quick thinker
and ready talker.
Result, defeat.
The lesson OF this contrast is apparent
without charging upon it.
Had Ohio republicans put up such a
man as Wheeler, and for the same rea-
sons, Ohio would have been lost.
Had Iowa republicans chosen a man
to head their ticket who had, even in de-
gree, the qualities of Mckinley, Iowa
would have been won.
The lesson goes farther: It is never
wise to court elements, to veer to catch
breezes in politics, TO sklrmish when a
charge all along the line is in order. 1t
is never good politics, good sense or
patriotism to choose political leaders
for other reasons than their ability and
their fitness and their well-known
stability as representatives of party
principles.
To select q candidate like Wheeler,
without reputation save as rich farm
or, without that eort Of brains whose in
dex is forensic power, without estab-
lished principles, or, at least. theee uu.
known to the people. man that the
managers of his campaign dare not per-
NIT to stand up before the people and
advocate the principles of his party, is
to invite defeat and to court destruc-
ton.
True, to be farmer is no objection
to a man; neither should it recommend
him for position. To be black or white
or yellow, 10 talk in one kind of a
brogue or another, to be in ono kind of
an occupation or onother, to live in one
locality or another, are all elements OF
weakness when permitted to 30 consid-
cred in selecting party candidate
Trucking to elements il party sin
too often committed. Letting down
party standards and principles to PAM
per ephemeral and chimerical political
sideehows is suicidal Better. always,
defeat With . bold front and in a hard
fight. than temporary victory with such
aids and the resulting loads OF big and
little obligations to unworthy elements.
The old-time battle cry OF ~Principles
not men" must he changed to "Princl-
pies and men"
Kansas politicians have only to look
back over the field Of past party fights
to recognize the force Of all this. In
Kansas republication there has never
been . weak point before the people not
resulting from this cause. When the
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