The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-08
Have Courage in PrincinIe.

IL is again intimated, this time in the
Philadelphia Press, that the motive Of
Senator Quay in taking tentative
stand in favor of free silver was to as
certain the drift Of sentiment among
the people, with a view 10 guarding
against errors in the forthcoming state
platform. The Press says: "When
the state convention meets ii will not
only have the work Of nominating
state ticket, hut it will bo expected to
deliver itself of a platform that will be
battle cry for the Republican party
in 1896. For this reason the leaders in
the state have begun casting about to
ascertain how the people Of Pennsyl
vauia stand on the political questions
that are now TO the front. IL is the
intention OF the Republican leaders to
be very sure Of their ground in the
coming elections. The unsettled state
Of affairs brought about by Democratic
mismanagement and Bourbon malice,
have set so many political vagarios
atl1at that it 10 highly important to
know how deeply they have psne
trated
Caution in this. as in other direc-
tious, Ia no doubt admirable but 1t Is
possible to pursue It too far It cannot
in the nature OF things be the future
mission Of the Republican party or the
expectation Of its reflective leaders. 20
compete with Democracy for the fckle
favor Of those voters who are likely AZ
any miuuts % bo tossed hither and
tu.;ber 10y floating political yagar.es
In such q competition the Republican
party would. from the star; be hops-
Is,sly handicapped Il would be haudi-
capped frat by iN traditions, which
form glorious record Of adhesion 20
fixed and iuvAriable principles. Il
would be- handicapped secondly by its
controlling mem barship. which is not
w.llin. to be made the sport and by
play x lemag0guss nor 80 anxious 20
attain Office IA 10 b, willing 90 stoop 20
the depths which form the natural AMI
normallvvel OF Democratic Campo usn
management. And. finally, it would
be prevented by its manifest destiny
as the one great progressive political
organization to wnich the masses,
when weary OF Demo cratic disslmula-
tion, hypocri,y, iucompet.ncy aud de-
ceit. may turn with confidence 10 It's
ability TO lagislate aggressively aud ad
minister without f-sr
II the recent Democratic restoration
has taught this generation Of voters
one thing more d-cisively than another
it is that the Democratic party is uuft
to govern the republic, 1t is ft only to
look on and grumble. A. minority Oh
structionists. ITS leaders are abo and
possibly usetuI, As majority con-
structionists, they are the laughing
stool, Of civilization. The Republican
party is safe beyond possibility Of per-
mauent disaster so long as 1t bases its
appeal 10 the conscience and 10 the Ia %
tslligencs Of the American people It's
mission is TO act, to legislats. to achieve,
II cannot and IL dare not descend 10
jugclery or to dissimulstion An hon.
est dollar is its companion demand to
an honest ballot and an honest wage.
There are no possible deviatons from
these manifestly cardinal principles.
1t is not worth while to stop to expert
meut with Machiavelisn methods.
The path of Republicanism points
straight and clear to the contamination
Of its fundamental purposes, the forti-
hcation OF protection, the publication
of the franchise and the establishment
of currency worth its face value in
every mart where men buy and sell.