The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-01

OuaYs FrlmarleS'
With the elimination of the Repub-
lican county canvass only few hours
removed, it is a good time for few re.
marks to be addressed to the sober
sense of the masses of the party. In
the spirited and at times acrimonious
contest which has for several weeks
been waging among the Republicans
of Lackawanna county for preterment
at the party's hands, THE TRIBUNE
has espoused no faction nor tied itself
to the political destinies of any man
or men. 1t has felt confident that the
regularly chosen delegates of the party
could meet and discharge the duties
which belong to their office without
the need of interference, or of what
might have the semblance of interfer-
ence, from Republican newspapers. A
policy thus wisely chosen will not now
be departed from. The convention
hall is the place for the nominating of
candidates, and SO far as THE TRIBUNE
is concerned, 1t repeats now what it
has already said: it will support the
fairly chosen nominees of that conven-
ton, whether they be personally relish
able or not.
This paper will do this because it be-
lleves in Republicanism; and because
it believes, further, that the best Demo-
crat, in the light Of his party's recent
performances at Washington, would
be worse in a position of legislative re-
sponsibillty than the worst Republican.
Fortunately the "worst Republican" is
not running for office this year. There
is "a disposition throughout the country,
where two or more candidates aspire
to given Office, to select that one who
is best fitted, if elected, to serve the
constituency behind him. This is. the
wise principle. 1t is the Republican
principle. Its application need not be
feared in Republican Lackawanpa.
If in the application of this principle,
however, differences of opinion should
arise, the party primaries afford a
chance for the affected constituency to
register its preference; and when that
preference is once fairly and intelli-
gently expressed, when it shall be, in
real fact, the wish of genuine major.
ity, it should be accepted as such by
all, without bitterness and without re-
venge. The Republican who is Re-
publican for deeper reason than the
revenue there is in it will not need to
be reminded that the principles for
which Republicanism stands are infin-
itely superior to the personal and tenn
porary fortunes of successful or re-
jected local candidates. The principles
endure after the men who represent
them are gone and perhaps forgotten.
And though pessimists may say to the
contrary, there still are principles
principles fundamental, principles vi
tal-in our politice.
There remains but one thing to be
added. The party primary is a civic
duty. 1t is not, with men of deep
character, a place for the venting of
personal spites or the perpetration of
small schemes of revenge. If the
primary is to any large extent made an
instrument of such purposes there will
arise in our boasted republic, govern
ment hectic with the elements of in
evitable decay. If at these primaries
unscrupulous men should exercise a
dominatingintluence, whose ultimately
is the fault? Where, finally, will rest
the responsibility? The Republican
party boasts on the platform and in its
press, that, of all parties, it best typi-
fies the brain, the conscience, the wis
dom and the character of the Ameri-
can people. If this be true, 1t ought to
be demonstrated at the primary. The
primary should, to prove it, be clean
honest and well attended. The further
1t is from these conditions, the worse
1t is for the party's fair name and
fame;and the harder will be the ac-
counting which must some day come
to those influences in our political life
which make politics reproach and
citizenship duty where it should be a
privilege and pleasure.
In THE exhibition of spite against
Senator German and his friends Presi-
dent Cleveland seems to have carried
out the programme indicating his
Liliputian craftsmanship. The blus.
terlng advocate of free trade, who
lodged the question at time when