Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-01-05
essex County 9trala.
The Uses and Abuses OF Political
Means.

methods To secure couCCrt at action are
necessary. For every citizen to act rndc-
I,endently and without any thought ot
harmonizing his choice of rulers or mca-
sures with that OF others would he pro-
ductive OF either the most disastrous re-
suits or of no results at all except inter
minabe confusion. The people would
have no opportunity to discuss measures
and men with reference to carrying them
out, and the masses would have to act
without that intelligence on the subject
which they ought to have. But IN poll
teal matters abstract reasoning is too
often applied concrctcly and to miscon-
ceived conditions. 1t is for each man.
interest to be honest in public affairs; .
for what is for the good OF all is for the
good of each There is no danger from
selhshncss for it is for the personal inter
est OF each that those things be done
which are best for all.
Theoretically all this is very nice; but
everybody knows that practically those
things are not 50. If they were men
would assemble and discuss what ought
10 be done, and who ought to be selected
70 do 1t, without passion or partiality.
Men would consider candidly and with
out pre- judicc what was in favor of a
man and what should weigh against his
selection for position. Honest efforts
would be made to get the whole people
out to the primaries SO as to reflect as
fully and as truthtully the popular will
as possible. But every man OF ordinary
of this is usually done even among men
Of the same political sentiments. The
man with the most active adhcrents. or
with the advantages of an extensive con
tact with the public, or means to throw
himself prominently on to the canvass OF
public observation, suddenly creates an
impression that others think him to be
just the man for some position. The i'm.
precision being created that there IS n
III this polite age having sufficient in,
tlelcacy to deny this sclt-aSsertcd popu
larity and fitness, then designs for the
primaries are in order. Are they fixed at
such times and places and in such order
rs to best accommodate and inform the
most voters OF the situation, or with ref
erence to carrying out special designs
We need not stop to answer this inter
rogatory, for it is already answered il
the mind of everybody hearing it. Com
mon observation teaches that CaucuSc'
and conventions are arranged so as to b,
convenient to those most friendly to tn,
designs Of such primaries; and that they
are SO arranged that each will aid tn,
others and so as to mutually support
kindred designs. In this way many mer
and measures go through simply because
they are a part of the arrangement o
the machinery, and because they CannO
be got rid OF without ungearing the who'll
machinery When the system is in tn
handsot INSCRIPTIONS men and men from
Rll classes, including those considered
otherwise respectable, do work it I'M
scrupulouslyl it is one of the most dan
gcrous influences which can threaten
Tree people. The masses are honest, ant
are not in danger o! open violence to o
restraint OF the free exercise of their vii
They will break down all barriers t.
slaughter anyone undertaking to craw
through this machinery if they detcc
him, as they did the quondam Judg
Maynard But the danger is in the 81
working OF it by men of much assume
character and patriotism. This machin
is most dangerous in the hands Of til
party greatly in the majority becaus
when a nomination is once secure
through corrupt means it is beyond tt
feach OF the people except by open revo
as it was recently practiced in New Yorl
When we consider the encouragement
and vindication of unworthy me
through these means; the falsehoot
psed to condemn worthy men; the ia
ility with which the system is adapted t
unfolding the assumptions of the mo-
impudent; the disgusting and barbarot
treatment OF worthy men and publ
measures by assertions and means Il
immatcrality or falsity of which there
trth ~ hn . IA,
cheap men get as a reward for 10
su5serviency to persons and personal i
tereSts; and all the trickery, hypqcris
treachery, falschoods and shameful b
trayal ofevery sacred sentiment of trien
ship, manhood and honor is it quite co
sstent to adopt without qualification II
stern creed OF the politician, Stand by II
party and the party nomination becau
it is the decree of the people" This
more than is eyer clairsd in favor uf Sc
emn adiudications of a court. Those al
always set aside for fraud, falschood, {
undue influence, or any unjust and III
lawful means by which they were PR
cured.
Then should party relations and II
results of primaries in politics be throw
aside or entirely disregarded? BY Il
means as rule they should he regarded
but when party and country are in COZ
fiict the country shoud prevail. When
man justified i'll laying aside party an
party nominationsf When party an
eaucuses or conventions are subvcrs,
of those honest ends for which they WEI
created. In the language Of the father
whenever they "become destructive
these ends" Prudence dictates that the