The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-01-11
PERSONAL PERFIDY.
The Republican Party Not Responsible for
Taylor's Misdeeds a. the Local Popu-
Lists Would Have Il Appear.

just at this time the life Of the aver
age republican is made burdensome by
the sneer and jeers. OF the ubiquitous
populist who tinds o great amount OF
delight in probing his political opponent
with taunts Of the downfall OF ex-State
Treasurer Taylor. His breach OF trust
is magnltied into a state OF corruption
that permeates the whole republican
party and finally concludes with the IN
sinuasion or charge that the whole re-
publican party is rotten and that some
OF them ought 10 be hanged. OF course,
men who will 30 reason are very loose IN
both their reasoning and moral powers
and are themselves unit to govern or
hold political power. All human expe-
rience goes to show that no party can be
responsible for or entirely guard against
the weakness OF any particular individ.
ual in that party and the downfall oil
any of its members ought to be q cause
OF regret not only to the party itself but
to the members OF every other party, as
showing the weakness of human nature
and the liability OF the same thing hap.
pening TO one OF our OWE that may have
befallen an inividual OF another party.
II is u narrow spirit and q dangerous
one to society that will gloat over the
fall OF any man. "But," says the popu-
list, '.your speakers went all over the
state last TALL denouncing Loucks and
the Scandinavian Elevator scheme be-
cause it cost u few OF the farmers the
loss OF ten or twenty dollars apiece, and
here you have one OF your " as bad"
Here is just where the popullst reason
ing is loose and the comparison fails.
They are not parallel cases. No repub.
linan, so far az we have heard, upholds
Mr.. Taylor in his course, or has had any
part with him in the ~defalcation, or would
for q moment think of endorsing him
for another Office; while on the other
hand, Mr.. Loucks NO sooner comes out
of one swlndling operation than be
plunges into another snd finds many
coadjutors to help him secure victims,
and then on Top or all this his aiherents
set him up as a political god, a Moses to
fll high places and receive the endorse.
ment Of the people. That lie quite an.
other thing. 1t is against this looseness
Ia political and ethical morals that hon.
est manhood -evolts and not against the
unfortunate victim Of circumstances OF
poor Judgment as in the cass of ex State
Treasurer Taylor. We have no pallia.
ton OF the crime Ct Mr.. Taylor. 1t may
not be d bad III represented when all ia
known and settled. But granted that it ID
as bad as the worst reported, it is still a
matter Of personal perfidy and not Of
party dishonor. Mr.. Taylor so far al
known has gone into the defAulting bus.
iness single-handed and alone. We be.
lieve him to have been an, honest man
until by poor investments or deposits be
lost bes ond his power to recover, when
he lost his head and took the wrong
course to get out. He lacked the moral
stamina and manhood to stand by his
post and deliver what he had; and in do,
ing so reserves the pity or execration oil
his fellow men, according as they may
look ut it, but ribald iibes in the pre-.
misses are uncalled for, unmanly and un.
dignified.