The San Francisco call., 1896-07-22
THE FARCE IN THE FIFTH.

The nomination for Congress made by
the Democrats of the Fifth District and
the circumstances under which it was
made afford the people fair illustration
of the extent and quality of Democratic
practices of reform. In no part of the
Union has Democracy made a greater
pretense OF overthrowing its own bosses
nor given more vociferous pledges of purity
and reform than in California. Yetin this
case, with lungs still feeling the strain of
their yells against Buckley, the Democrats
have nominated for Congress kid raised
in the Buckley fold and tarred with the
Buckley stick.
The Democrats of the Fifth District are
not wicked above other Democrats. The
general quality of the party is the same
the country over. With an occasional ex-
ception here and there due to local causes
the party convention in every Congress
sional district will be controlled by forces
and influences not widely different from
those which dominated at Redwood and
the men nominated will measure about
the same in character, ability, reputation
and experience as Joseph Kelly. 1t is
worth while, therefore, to give attention To
that nomination in order to know what
manner of men are now running the
Democratic party.
1t is the claim, we believe, of Mr. Kelly's
friends that they nominated him for vim
dication. Mr.. Kelly is reported TO have
himself told the convention that he de-
sired to run in defense of his honor and
reputation, because in his last race he had
been charged with being "a corporation
lawyer" Our recollection is that he was
charged with something quite different
from any kind of legal practice, but as
neither lie nor his friends mentioned it we
may let it pass Taking the statements as
made at Redwood it would seem that Mr..
Kelly and his friends are willing to wear
all other charges made two years ago, but
from that of being lawyer employed by
corporations they demand vindication and
hope to get it by an appeal to the people.
To this desire Rainey and Lapigan gave
their consent and Mr.. Kelly will ask the
Democrats of the Fifth District to wash
his dirty linen for him and make him
clean again.
That is the way Democracy practices
politics in the face of some of the most
stupendous issues ever submitted TO the
arbitration OF q popular vote. AS q Nation
we have to undertake the complex prob.
lem of adjusting the tariff for the protec-
tion of American industry and providing
a revenue for the Government; we have to
engage in the momentous task of readiust-
ing the monetary standard upon which all
business is based we have to deal with
many questions of foreign policy, not a
few of which involve possibilities of war;
and in addition to these National issues
we, OF California, have TO confront in Con-
gress a powerful lobby seeking to perpetu-
ate railroad monopoly that would
harass every Industry and cineh every
enterprise OF the State for fifty years to
come.
Instead of nominating as a candidate for
Congress a man able to deal with these
great issues, the Democrats of the Fifth
District ignore them all and fippantly ask
the people to vote for man to vIndicate
him from the charge of being a lawyer
whom corporations occasionally think it
worth while to employ. From this fact
we can estimate the quality and degree of
the political ideas of Lanigan and Rainey
and the men who follow them. To such
men and indeed to most of those who con-
troll Democracy in these days it would
seem that politics is little more than a
circus where each individual rider desires
to ride the trick mule and win applause.
Every candidate of the party is clamoring
for vindieation, qualification or glorifca-
cation. Egotism dominates the whole
crowd from Bryan to Kelly. They are
turning the campaign into farce which
is ridiculous to common-sense and offen-
sive TO patriotism. 1t is not 10 be won-
dered that decent Democrats are turning
from their party with disgust and indig-
nation. There are very few self-respecting
men even among Democrats who will care
in campaign of such Importance as this
to devote their time to washing Mr.. Kelly's
dirty linen.