The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-04
GoRMAN's PRACTICAL POLITICS

| municipality will be left.
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| GORMAN's PRACTICAL POLITICS.
German. of Maryland. is waving his cap
from the masthead. He has swept the
decks and carried of the jackpot; and
done many other allegorical things all
tending to demonstrate that he is cock Of
| the Democratic walk in Maryland. There
are some men so india-rubbery that the
harder they are thrown the higher they
rebound. All the indications seemed to be
| that Senator German would be badly
beaten at the recent Democratic conven-
ton. II was said that the influence of the
administration would be cast against him,
and the Garrett millions opposed to him.
He was accused by his own party
papers of having ''swapped public plum
der with private services" and of having
"debauched and degraded the Democratic
party" The result shows him to have
had an overwhelming strength throughout
the state.
The incident is OF more than local in
terest. II goes to show, perhaps. that TIE
Democratic party rather likes to be de
u.
strued to mean that the Democrats of
that interesting little state do not seri-
ously condemn the swapping OF public
plumber for private services. All Of which
bad things in the Democratic party Re-
publican may be inclined to accept as part
and parcel Of fits innate wickedness.
The truth probably is that German
understands human nature. He realizes
that the selfishness. pretudices. ambitions
and foibles of men will as surely per-
meate politics as they do all other worldly
affairs. He knows that a political con-
vention on earth will never be made Up
Of angels. nor high places be sought only
by the pure in spirit. Men take an active
part in politics because they like the ex-
element or because they seek preferment.
They will employ those means to secure
public support which seem most likely to
reach the desired end
No political organization will ever be
better than the community in which it
exists If the majority ina party is de-
terInined that character shall be the
standard of qualification for Office only
men OF good character can be successful.
If the better element" takes no interest
in politics, the worse element will pre-
vail. Government must go on; Offices
must be filed. Those who refuse to take
part in the politica, machinery by which
all bodies must be moved-organization-
only stultify their own citizenship. The
motives which inspire seekers for Office
are no better and no worse than those
which inspire men in all the pursuits of
life. And. ii may be said in justice. that
the holder of public office is no worse
than the average of men. He will take
advantage if he may and entrench him.
self by such methods as he believes will
be most efilcacious.
The control is with the people. Some
times the people exercise bad judgment
in their selection of candidates, and bad
judgment In their choice of means to de-
feat undesirable candidates. This latter
fault is one of which the Republican
party is too often guilty. This may be
illustrated by the action OF Republicans
who are utterly opposed TO the liquor
traffic. They often refuse TO support Re-
puSicans who are willing 20 meet them
half way. and by Withdrawing their votes
make sure the election OF men diametri-
cally and inhexibly opposed 10 them.
Another illustration IS afforded by the
home rulers OF ireland. They harassed
and thwarted a ministry which was dis
posed to aid them at least in part. and
~ their stubbornness helped 20 put In
ONCE men who win yield nothing 20 them.
There are skiIlful politicians at work in
our midst just now who are. for entirely
selfish purposes. seeking TO split I'd the
friends % silver. with the possible conse-
Queuce that sold mono-metallists-who
VIII present q compact front-may be the
victors Most free silver men and all BIZ
metaliists seek the same end. They de-
sire to increase the use OF silver SO that
% may De kert on a parity with gold az
az times. Ply dividing their forces they
weaken them. and 50 inversely strengthen
the party which desires the gold stand
ard alone The only sure road 70 victory
S Tor all seeking the same end 10 unite
and defeat the common enemy. Then the
v.ctors can decide among themselves the
ways and the means TO perfect their
triumph.
German sees this All successful lead
ers see 70. lie wastes no time In plati-
tudlnizing. He unites his forces, secures
the votes and laughs az the fugitive. I'M
oTesnized efforts OF those who chase an
ienus fatuus, Jealous Of each other. scat
terine their strength and frittering away
opportunities.
The people can prevail; but they must
deal with human nature as IL is. They
must organize, be diligent and active.
know what they want and stand shoulder
10 shoulder in the determination to get it.
TOO MANY POLES.