Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-06-23
THE CALIFORNIA TICKET.

This is good year for man to get
onto the Republican ticket. Almost
anybody can be elected on that ticket
But the duty of defeating an improper
nominee or bad platform is just as i'm
perative upon the good citizen, whether
il be the work of his own party O
some other. There is no alternative
good government is the ultimate oh
feet of political activity. If 1t is tn
spoils you are after, swallow the man,
platform and all. The worst stiDkine
political cadaver will no. pail the al
petite of the boodler in politics. Othu
people will hold their noses or turn
away.
The California Republicans have put
q poor head on their ticket aud thei
put the whole ticket on bad platform
In spite of this, the whole thing m"!
20 through. The chances are against
It. 1t ought not to go at all, unless thu
Democrats and Populists do infinitely
worse as they can be almost surely re-
lied upon to do In a critical time. Nine
times out of ten they will not do Il
right thing to take advantage of RI
publican blunder. The people of Cali
fornia may put up with political
mistake, such as the Republicans have
committed, to avoid worse evils.
What's the matter with Estes? He
is a representative type of the machine
politician, and q political boss in his.
most offensive form. This style OF
manipulation has developed out of the
petty machinery of bureaucratic pol
itics, not generated among the people,
but foisted upon them by campaign
committees that seek to handle the
party rclns from the large cities, who
fry fat out of the industries and then
pay them back with tariffs levied of
the masses, the political strikers who
mulct the Carnegies an d Wanamakers
for campaign funds and then make it
back out of the profits of politics.
What's the natter with the platform?
II attempts the impossible at present,
free coinage Of sixteen parts Of silver to
one Of gold. 1t Is nonsense to talk
about this at present when silver is
worth so cents an ounce and sixteen
to-one dollar would be worth about
forty cents In bullion. Endorsing
woman suffrage without any quali6ca
tions or restrictions is equally nonseDsi'
Cal at time when thoughtful men are
trying TO insist that men shall not vot.
unless they own property or possess
sufficient degree of intelligence.
Our country needs not more voters,
but better voters. We have none too
many moved orly by partisan instinct,
or prejudice aud passion. We need
more who will be guided by clear cool
intelligence and reason, instead of more
who would be swept away by sentl-
ment, blind passion or emotional par.
oxysms Of enthusiasm. The principle
of"no taxation without representation"
Is all right In the abstract, but there ls
already too much taxation that Is un-
represented In our government. The
unorganized taxpayer is now asking to
have hearing as against the organized
voter In politics who pays little or no
tax, but whose political activity costs
the taxpayer dearly. The proposition
to double the excitement of political
campaigns, to double election expenses,
to double the nominating conventions
and pfimariea and to multIDly the
representation In legislatures and con-
gress, with all the attendant increased
machinery Of politics II all the women
would take hand-this will not meet
with favor II 1t is In the California Re
publican platform,