Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-27
SATURDAY, AUGUST 81, 1899
THE SIXTH DISTRICT.

ment upon the failure OF the Democratlc |
congressional convention at Santa Bar
bara to nominate a candidate for con-
gress in the Sixth district. 1t was, OF
course, desirable that the convention |
should have made nomination, and it |
would have done SO, under ordinary cir
cumstances. But the situation was pecu-
liar. No sooner was Mr.. Marion Cannon
nominated by the Peoples party on
platform that is more opposed
to Democratic principles than any
thing we have seen in any Republican
platlorm-nominated on platform reek-
ing with paternalism--than anumber of
Democrats, many Of them men of COM
manding influence, began to talk as if it
were utterly out of the question that the
time-honored Democracy should dare to
put up straight Democratic candidate.
AS consequence, gentlemen who would
have been only too glad to lead the party
in the congressional campaign, were In
clined to think that they were being
hoodwinked into taking the command of
a forlorn hope. AS matter Of fact, there
has not been more encouraging out
look for the Democracy in years than
exists in this district today. Mr.. Her
vey Lindley, the candidate of the Re-
publican party, is by no means popu-
lar man in his own organization. Masses
of his fellow partizans will decline to
vote for him, always on the idea that
they can get some good Democrat to
center upon. This is plain statement
Of the situation as regards Mr.. Lindley.
and every intelligent voter knows that
we do not mistake the facts.
And just here arises the strength of
strong Democrat. He could get the
bulk Of his own party vote and the vote
of thousands of Republicans who could
not be dragooned into voting for either
Lindley.or Cannon, if staunch Demo
crat were in the field. The Democratic
candidate would probably surprise him
self by running like a scared wolf, and
pulling up the winner.
Let us, for the sake OF argument,
assume that the Democratic party were
to endorse Marion Cannon for congress-.
The instant result would be that Demo-
Gratis would decline to be delivered.
Half of them would not vote at all on
the congressional question, and OF the
moiety that did vote, more would cast
their ballot for Lindley than would vote
for Cannon. We are not indulging in
Imaginative flights. We are talking the
cold, prosaic truth. Thus, if we aIe
right in our estimatt, Cannon would be
loser by the endorsement. But he
would be in worse plight than that.
The moment he should be endorsed by
the Democratic party the machine Re-
publican leaders would be in condition
to denounce the whole thing as Demo-
cratic trick; and, as natural result,
Republicans would go trooping back in
multitudes to their own party, which
would put Lindley still further ahead.
1t would probably puzzle any one to
show when the Democratic party has
ever made anything by endorsing any
body. Perhaps the most notable in
stance of our miaadventure in that line
was when we endorsed the Peoples
party nominee for president of the
United States, in 1872. Thus, Horace
Greeley ran in Pennsylvania, for in
stance. with the nomination of both the
Democratic and the Peoples party. The
result was a majority of 17S,OO0 for
Grant. If there had been square
Democratic candidate-Horatio Sey-
mour, for instance-Grant could not
possibly have beaten him over 60, 900.
How, then, explain the difference be-
tween 10000 and 17S,000-a difference
of 11S,000? Il is all very simple. An
immense number of Democrats were SO
disgusted with the prostitution of party
principle and pride involved in the en-
doreement OF Greeley that many of them
did not vote at all. while thousands and
tens of thousands of them voted for
Grant outright. History has been
known to repeat itself; and, in our
Judgment, it would do that very thing
in the case of such a political misfor-
tune-such an infinite blunder-as
would be involved in the endorsement
of Marion Cannon, the Peoples nomi-
nee for congress, by the Democratic con-
vention of the Sixth congressional dis
trict OF California.
The writer was interviewed yesterday
by noble old Democratic Roman from
Pomona, who is in Los Angeles on Jury
duty. During the course Of the CONVEX
sation the fact was developed that the
visitor had been Democratic voter in
California eince 1850-forty-two years.
mind you. He was rather inclined to
endorse Marion Cannon. "Have you
ever" we asked, ''known the Demo-
cratic party in all that long time to de-
rive any good from endorsing anybody?
Think very carefully before answering ?
Musing few moments, the old stall
wart carefully and deliberately re-
sponded, NO, can't say ever did,"
And there is the whole case in nut
shell.