The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1893-08-05
IN UNION THERE IS STRENGTH.

IN UNION THERE IS STRENGTH.
Our esteemed cotemporary, the East
Orseoniaa, occasionally deals in soph-
istry, and at such times takes the rid
iculous extreme of the proposition, or
perverts the premises of an opponent,
for the sake of supporting its position.
Here is an illustration:
"sWhen the Democrats meet in
Washington City next month expecta-
tions are rife that there will be lack of
harmony in their ranks, and the
country may be treated to some exciting
scenes at the national capitol. There
will unquestionably be change from
the even tenor of the Republican
manner of transacting BUSINESS says
The Dalles TINES -MoUNTAINEER.
The even tenor alluded to above was
nothing but stagnation and unpro-
gressiveness, the result of a lack of
principle and devotion to pelf in the
later years of the party. Diversity of
opinion is necessary to work a far
reaching reform, and is sign that no
''cut and dried" plan has been ar
ranged, or can be arranged, by self
styled leaders and manipulators. A
"Iack of harmony" is the spirit of
Democracy, because the soul of the
individual, his individuality. is the
basis of his opinion and the cause of
seeming differences. But there is 10
difference between earnest men, only
to the extent of their inability to un-
derstand one another. All progress
rests upon diversified opinions, be-
cause if men could perfectly agree
there would be no incentive to ac-
complish more, in fact, no need of it,
because everything had been already
accomplished-perfect harmony and
conten.ment reached"
The necessity of two or more polit-
ical parties IN the United States has
frequently been advocated by patriots
and statesmen, and there should be
divisions by those holding different
sentiments. When we carry this priv
iIege of dissension down to factions no
good can possibly be accomplished, be-
cause there cannot be union of action,
and the attempted reform will even
tually end in wraneles between par
ties Of twos or threes. During the
trying epoch of the civil war the Re-
publican party agreed on a plan OF
operation, and accomplished the result
desired because there was unaminity
of action within its own ranks. If.
the members had been divided among
themselves as the Democrats are to-
day on coinage and the tariff the union
of the states never would have been
preserved, the integrity Of the nation
would not have been upheld in the
payment of its honest debts, and
American industries would not have
been fostered, Those Of the same
opinion should associate together in
religious, social and political matters;
but there should be harmony among
those adhering to the same creed.
When the Chicago platform was
adopted it was the declaration Of prin-
ciples to which the Democracy of the
nation stood pledged before the people,
and from Maine to California these
pledges were heralded forth by ora
tors in unequivocal language. The
promised change vas approved by the
electors, and now that special session
of congress has been called to carry
this into effect there is scarcely an
agreement among any ten Democrats
on great national principles. 1t is
right and proper, and perhaps leads to
purity in politics, for Democrats to
disagree with Republicans, and these
with Populists on national issues; but
when either of these parties divide
into factions it leads to bewildering
confusion and ends in anarchy.