The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-06-05
rnE SACRIFICES OF A PARTY.


legislature there were but few opposition
members, Had the legislature done It's
duty. the Republican party would have
had long lease et power
That legislature fell however under
influences ,hat led it into lines OF gross-
as, misconduct Al the session that 6c-
San in January, 1876, the destructive nol-
lev was commenced that has led to the
results We now behold,
II was proclaimed that Mr.. polph
should not be reelected to the senate be-
cause he was a representative OF the poll
iey OF maintaining the gold standard. as
AGAINST the demand for free coinage Ct
silver. This made nucleus OF desper-
ate and fanaticM opposition, which was
quickly reinforced by a group OF merce-
naries who wanted TO get In ON the
sround door for enjoyment % the fed
eral Offices under the next adminisra-
|. ton; Snd again by other groups OF mer-
I eeparies who wanted 10 defeat the rv-
auction OF salaries ana other reforms
that had been promised by the Repuoli-
can party. These combinations caused
a desperate struggle in the Legislature,
They were abettcd by senator Mitchell
and Represeutatievs Hermann and Ellis,
through their political Supporters and de-
pendents: the defeat og Mr.. Dolph WAS
proclaimed as triumph Of the silver
faction. to be taken as notice that mon
who insisted on the maintenance of the
7 gold standard were TO have no voice in the
/ direction OF the Republican party OF the
/ state; and the refusal 70 giye the people
relief from the burdens OF an excessive
I taxation was pronounced with an inso-
lenee and maintained with a shameless
display OF corruption that challenged in
dignauon and resentment, and made
submission impossible.
The questions thus started We're carried
forward. 10 be the material of the next
campaign. wss the Republican party
10 be controlled by the methods and pur-
poses that had mastered the legislature
OF Isl-95r Was it to become silver
party WAS II " N6sS AeS hi1AN'~Ns'4ANs
and identity in Populism? Were the
authors Of the misconduct and disorder
OF the legislative session to be accepted
and obeyed as the masters Of the parlyI
Beginning with the legislative session.
an EFFORT was made. and steadily persist
ed in, TO confuse the lines OF distinction
between the Rsaub lean and Popu'ist
parties on the money question and kindred
subjects. Senate. Mitchell and Repre-
sentatievs Hermann and Ellis were to Le
supported and protected as silver men,
and various vagaries OF Populism were
pushed upon the party in many portions
of the state. When the Republican state
convention assembled in April last, II
was not allowed to make platform that
should state an uneQnivocal position on
the money question, and the effort TO OBJ
tain such a platform ives met and de-
feated by a dirty bargain that renoml-
mated Ellis for congress. This was fol-
lowed by an effort to carry the legisla-
ture for the reelection OF Senator Nit
chel through a series OF intrigues with
the Popullsts The state Republican COM
mtitee was organized for this endeavor,
and devoted itself sedulously TO it: the
partisans Of Senator Mitchell in Multi
nomah county put forth a ticket spe-
cially in his interlest and called by his
name: they entered into every kind OF
traffic with Populists and Democrats;
they corrupted and debauched with their
money, and virtually absorbed at the
election both Of these parties; the work
Of the state central committee-its de-
tails in the hands OF Populist nominee
for the legislature-was scarcely distin-
guishable from the work Of the Populist
campaign. and its purpose as little. Is
II surprising that disaster has overtaken
this proceeding? There is not room for
two political parties on the same ground. |
The tribute OF admiration paid 10 the |
principles Of Populism, through this imi- |
tation Of them by the so-called Mitchell |
Republicans, was not lost; but it had, as |
is usual in like affairs. a very different |
result from what was intended. The !
people thought that If Populism was so
fine thing, they would take it from its
original proprietors and patentees; ana |
they were right. The consequence is |
that, for the present, oregon is Popu-
list state.
Had the men whom the Republican
party Of oregon has advanced to the |
rank Of leadership come out fairly from |
the beginning on the side Of sound money |
and the gold standard, they would have |
brought their party into line on the sub |
ect and held it there; and, though there |
doubtless would have been some loss OF |
votes on the issue, such loss would have |
been made good by accessions Of Demo-
Gratis who uphold the gold standard. But
the ignorance OF some, and the coward
ice and demagogy Of others, have weak
ened the party by destroying in many |
The chief Of these propagators Of false
doctrines has been Senator Mitchell His
influence has been very great, and It has
tended steadily to Generalization Of his
party on this question; till now its faith
and strength have been so undermined
that It virtually goes TO pieces and he
is engulfed in catastrophe of which he,
more than any other person, has been
the moving cause He now also has
learned that, II the people want the prln-
ciples OF the Populist party, they will go
to the Populist party for them. Mr..
Mitchell and his supporters. who have
thought it good politics to juggle with
silver, have tumbled into the pit they
dug for Mr.. Dolph and for the sound
money men Of Oregon
The Republican party now win learn
that It cannot beat the Populist party
in the advocacy Of its own principles.
This is the lesson Of the election. ore
gon, after all, is gold standard. not