The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-20

population in the state, practlcall.
without voice or influence in the affair,
of the state.
We know of no substantial reason
why any Republican should refuse Il
stand by his principles and vote for the
Republican ticket. The engineers Of
the fusion opposition loudly boast thai
there is a breach in the Republican
ranks of this county such as nothing
can heel, and which is bound to result
in putting the Popocrat on top for a
long time. This declaration has been
most industriously circulated. The flu
sion chances of success are all predicat
ed upon this theory. We believe that
there is, at bottom, nothing to it. We
do not deny that there has been con
siderable indignation not unmixed with
soreness, but neither the indignation,
or soreness, have been of such griey-
BUSINESS as to lead Republicans TO
wish or desire their party's defeat. We
are not denying that there was no prov
ocation for protest and dissatisfaction,
but we do deny that the character of
the men who did the protesting is such
as will warrant the assumption or as
sertion that having like men filed their
dissent that they will then resolve 10
defeat their party and in so doing pun
ish their innocent friends, who were in
no way responsible for any irregulari-
ties or indefensible episodes.
Republicans. as a rule, are men of
convictions. They are men of well
defined principles the meaning whereof
they grasp. They are not Of that class
who are swayed by unreasoning preju-
dice, or that blindly strike, not caring
where the blow falls, or whether it
hurts friend or foe, so that they are
personally avenged There are plenty
Of such men, we are compelled to adj
NIT, but there are very few Of them in
the Republican party. A good and true
Republican may keenly feel a personal
defeat in his own party, especially
where he Is convinced that it was en-
comprised by intrigue or trick, but for
no such reason or on no such preteXt
can he be induced to join his enemies
to down his friends. And just herein,
and in just that thing, the fusion man
ayers, measuring the average Republi-
can by themselves, are going 10 fall
down.
Why should any Republican in q
campaign of this character and where
SO much is at stake in every way, bolt
his ticket and vote for that which he
does not believe in? There is no rea-
son for such q course. Why should
any Republican of Sedgwick couaty
for that matter. for instance cast his
ballot for l.. ID Lewelling even though
1t was conceded that he is an angel of
purity? There is no reason why. Even
had Lewelling ability, or was he the
lawyer or orator that Gordon is. or
could he n3ke himself as successful
a mixer in legislative body as MIR
Gordon,-which nobody will pretend,
he could accomplish nothing in SEN
ate that will be Republican and. there
fore, against anything he might want
for this community. But all these
considera tons aside, Mr.. Iewelling as
state senator would cast the vote of
Sedgwick county against a Republican
United States senator. and in favor of
Pop, as he would cast bis vote and
influence against eye-y other Republi-
can measure which be desired by the
Republican majority of Sedgwick !
county.
That which is true with reference to |
the head of the fusion ticket in Sedg- |
wick county, is equally true of its tail, |
of all the fusion nominees for repre-. |
sentatives and of the whole Popocrat |
deal from bottom back up to top.
There is nothing in the mix, nor can |
there be anything in its success for
any Republican. 1t is all against the |
Republican and his beliefs and inter- |
ests. against his principles and against
his friends, and his first political duty
IS to down it at the polls, by standing |
by his own party and his own ticket,
without reference TO the personal mis-
adventures OF any man. set or clique.
Taking the fusion huckster. and the 1
distrust growing out of the silver dis
cussion, together with the personal
feeling engendered by an unusually in
tense struggle between Republican as
pirantS in the city primaries. and the
Republican party of Sedgwick county
was started in the campaign hampered,
distracted and at great disadvantage.
a situation which the enemy have not
failed 10 appreciate and rejoice over
A victory under such circumstances
would prove UNUSUAL, glorious and
Let rs as Republicans. collectively
and individually. in nesting each other
half way, AMI in forgetting nur diff
ferences. clasp hearty hands and move
for vietorv.
|
WHAT M'KINLEY HIMSELF SAID.