Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-08-24

the blind obedience aud support OF their
members from one generation to another.
They are means, not ends. They are
simply organized bodies of people who
think in essential harmony touching great
questions of public concern and are main
tanned for tie purpose of promoting the
principles cherished by their individual
members.
When they radically change their atti-
tude on any public question of para
mount Importance, or adopt as vital
some comparatively new policy regard
ing which grave differences of opinion
are rife among the people, they can not
reasonably expect to maintain their or
CARNATIONS intact by sheer force of party
discipline. New alignments under such
circumstances are inevitable. Party dis
cipline is usually effective in disposing
of minor differences, but can not be car
ried further than this. No good citizen
will remain with his party after it has
pronounced cardinal principles that his
conscience teaches him are wrong.
But, when man revolts against his
party and declines to obey the deliberately
expressed will of majority thereof, he
certainly has 10 right to say, by mplica-
tion or otherwise, that he and his dissat-
lstied associates of tho minority, and
not the majority, have the right to wear
the party name. 1t is his plain duty to
cease blubberlng over party names, to
cease believing and bedaubing the pages
of history with maudlin tears over the
achievements of his party when he
was in the majority, and promptly to
sever his connection with an organization
that no longer mirrors his views and join
one that does. This is the only rational
and dignified course for the bolter to
pursue-the only course that entities him
to respect.
Owing to the miracle that has been
wrought in American politics during the
past few months; owing to the most re-
markable transposition of parties ever
witnessed in this or any other country;
owing to the startling fact that one of the
great political parties has shouldered the
enormous burden under whose crushing
weight the other was hopelessly grooming
and apparently doomed to total downfall
owing to the surprising circumstance
that the Republican party has unequivo-
cally adopted the gold standard side in
the monetary struggle of the day and the
reorganized Democratic party has just as
unequivocally declared in favor of
American bimetallsm, good many
people are called upon to choose between
party names and principles in the pend
ing national campaign.
Six months ago the success of the Re-
publican party in the election this year
seemed to be assured. Democrats gem
orally were disheartened, hopeless, dis
gusted They read in the election re-
turns of two years ago unmistakable
proof that the grand victory of four
years ago had proved a curse rather than
a blessing, and that, unless their party
was rescued from the hands into which it
had been entrusted, it's fate was sealed.
Could this be done? The task was mani
testify colossal one, but it was bravely
undertaken by band of patriots in the
west and the south who are strangers to
fear.
The outcome is familiar to all. We
need simply add that, through the ar
rogance and over confidence of the Re-
publican goldbugs at St. Louis, COM
bined with the untiring and courageous
efforts of the Democratic masses under
superb leadership at Chicago, the almost
transposition was effected, and
as result thereof silver Democracy now
seems destined to sweep the country in
November. In order to place true
upon the tears of the scatter
ing goldbugs, who are now weeping over
what they are pleased to term Demo-
cratic recreancy to principles and threat
ening to nominate third ticket at In
dianapolis, it is only necessary to con-
trast the present promising outlook of
the Democratic party with what it was
six months ago under the leadership Of
these canting goldbugs and what it
would be to-day if they had been success
full at Chicago.