The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-12-28
A pRIvARY TEST OF DEMOCRACY.

The Houston Post In throwing oil on
the troubled waters of Texas Democ-
racy and attempting TO conciliate the
two wings of the Democratic party,
wisely advises that it can be attained
by the primaries overriding any at
tempt to draw the line on state poll
tics. The Post further says "that If
primaries were held in Harris county
today any introduction of the Hogg
and Clark division would be Kissed
and derided, and as to the feeling in
this county 30 it no doubt is over the
state"
This is good news, but we fear that
the primaries in Travis county
could not so easily homologate
and with perfect harmony eliminate
that question. That perhaps is be-
cause Travis county is the center at
which local prejudicea receive more
fuel and Austin, the capital city, a
sort of headquarters for the political
wire. workers. of the state. The sug-
geslion that the personality OF either
Hogg or Clark would no longer give
reason for division looks very reason
able, but The Post forgets that
there are underlying principles
which still remain, even after
both champions have left
the field of combat, and while we
would rejoice to accept the suggestion
of the Post that vote for Cleveland
be made test of Democracy there
are many others who would demand
the additional test of the unequivOcal
indorsation of tie national Democratic
platform. However man who
knows enough about the stamp of
Cleveland Democracy to vote for him
would soon be willing to abandon any
expediency plank in state platform
and endorse all the true principles Of
Democracy as well as endorse it's most
prominent and forcible champion.
At any rate voter for
Cleveland who has not since repudiat-
ed him has firstclass claim to par
ticipate in a Democratic primary.
Mind you we mean an absolute repu-
diation of his general policy and not a
mere bubble on some unimportapt
issue. Then let us all agree 10 the
proposition of The Post to make a
Cleveland vote test of fitness for a
Democratic primary, but we must in
sist that If the voter has since chang
ed his politics and is opposing q
Democratic administration that he is
out of place in Democratic
primary. We would do most any
thing for harmony but the abandon
ment of principle. We are no hero
worshippers but it is significant fact
that Mr.. Cleveland as a politician has
always refused to abandon principle
for expediency and even with full
knowledge of defeat before him could
not be pursuaded to suppress the ex-
preston of his opinions. He was not
willing even to use the subterfuge
that has become part of the political
chicanery of the "suppressio veri. !"
II truth existed his candor COMPEL
cd him to tell it. AS in the instance
referred to, in the long run such a
course Is not only honest
but most polite. Then let
there be no delusion about this matter.
If we make vote for Cleveland test
of Democracy that fits the voter for
action in Democratic primaries, but
let us add sand q continued support
OF the genel al course of a Democratic
administration That would bring
about harmony woI tn something
Anything less would be mere patch.
work, putting new cloth to mend a
rent in the old, against which we are
cautioned by the purest and wisest
liDs