St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-14
BY A UNITED PARTY
Is the Globes Position in
Politics Cordially Com
mended.
Conduct and Choice Must Alb.
solutely Rest With the
People.
The Ward Committeeman
Must Not Interfere in the
Primary.
None But Clean Candidates
Need Apply for Ticket
Positions.

yesterday of the reforms which the
Democracy must secure within its own
party lines if it would make certain the
majority to which it is entitled, were
very widely read and commented upon.
1t is doubtful if there is an active DEM
ocrat III the county who did not some
Tune IN the day, read and ponder the
article. and it is gratifying to the GLOBE
to be able to say that the commenda-
ton was as wide and general as the
reading. Scores of letters poured into
the office all of yesterday, and all of
them commended the unmistakabIe
stand taken by the GLOBE.
In continuation of the subject, it may
be laid down, in the beginning, that the
only way for the Democracy TO achieve
success in Ramsey county next fall is to
deserve it. Any dependence placed
alone in the normal Democratic
strength" of the county is hope built
upon sand. For twenty years. without
lntermlSsion, the Democracy of the
county has enjoyed the confidence Of
the people, as evidenced in the steady
maJorltles given for the ticket repre-
senting that party; but that confidence
having been shaken by methods and be-
liefs for which the party Is not really
responsible, 1t is now necessary to re-
build from the bottom and to rebuild in
deStructbly
Work must begin with the primary
election; and in advance of that the
GLOBE believes that it can give the peo-
pie the assurance, backed up and in
dorsed as it is by popular sentiment,
that If the masses will take the same in
terest In the primary as in the general
electlon-the same interest in nominat-
ing candidates as in electing them-that
they will control the primaries as against
any bosses. real or imaginary, and that
the first substantial step toward reform
will have been taken. Many of the re-
suits and conditions Of which the great
est complaints are now made can be
charged and recast without further ado
or greater trouble than the mere turn
ing out of the people at the primaries
and personally seeing that they are con-
Quoted with the some honesty and care
and surrounded by the same safeguards
as regular election.
There has been in the past a great
deal of complaint-and not without rea-
son-of the work and influence at the
primaries of the ward committeeman.
There must be a distinct reformation in
this particular. The committeeman is
there as the accredited representative
OF the party organization in the interest
of the party, and not in the interest of
himself or Of any particular candidate.
1t is no more his fun ction to dictate a
ward delegation than it is to dictate a
nomination. and the people will never
in the future tolerate any interference
by such committeeman or any stepping
beyond the duties and functions with
which he is invested
There will be very many candidates
this fall for the various offices to be
filled. 1t is the inalienable right OF any
citizen to aspire to any Office in the gift
of the people, and it is the duty of the
party under whose auspices he may so
aspire to pass upon his fitness for the
office, All candidates save one must be
disappointed. but it is essential to party
success that the defeated ones feel that
they were defeated in an honorable con-
test, and by fair and open means. This
can only be done by making the pri-
maries so open, fair and free that not
the slightest fault can be found. Equa
facilities must be given every candidate,
and the fullest opportunity offered
every Democrat to record his choice.
The primary is the first step in the cam
palgn, and it must mark the first step in
the reform the people insist upon now.
But fairness, honesty and freedom in
the primaries will not alone suffice to
secure the victory every loyal Democrat
hopes and expects to witness in the fall.
The ticket must be above reproach in
itself. The election is choice of men
to conduct the business of the county
for the next two years; and it is useless
for the Democracy to offer to the people
for their ratification any but men whom
they would choose to conduct their
private aud personal business. The
ticket must be clean, strong, and in
every way above reproach.
The GLOBE urges every Democrat,
anu every OtllGr SOOu cItlZ6n, 10 JON IN
the campaign about to be organized
under the new auspices. So far as that
has progressed. every condi-
ton has been fulfilled in the require
ment: To secure success, it must be
deserved. The national and state tickets
are above reproach and the masses have
rallied enthusiastically to their sup
port. The unIrammeled people have
spoken in the nomination of Cleveland
and Lawler, and every suspicion of
bossism has been swept out of exist
ence. If the same principles will OBJ
tain in the selection of the county
ticket, the support will be equally loyal
and enthusiastic, and Ramsey county
will roll up majority for every man,
from Cleveland down, that will make
the famous majority for Edmund Rice
seem like ward return.
Pure methods, clean ticket and an
majority for the Democracy
should be the campaign cry from now
till the closing of the DOlIS