Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-07-25
PARTY LOYALTY.
The Views of an. Old Guard on What 1t
Takes to Constitute Good Demo-
crat-No Kicking During Charge.
Editor State Herald.

Editor State Herald.
Every church organization, every Sc
eret society and philanthropic associa-
ton has rules and regulations for the
guidance and government of its mem
bers. When person joins church he
takes a vow to conform to the cardinal
doctrines and usages of that denomina-
tion-and so with nearly every other or
ganization. Failing to do SO. the church
organization to which person belongs,
If it hopes for power and perpetuity,
must discipline recalcitrants or it's vital
ity and usefulness becomes impaired
and finally extinct.
Political parties are composed of per-
sons who favor and believe in the car
dinal principles enunciated by the party
to which he attaches himself. In the
democratic party these principles are
supposed and do really originate first in
the mind of the individual me m bers, ard
are voiced in the primaries. then in the
county conventions, then In the state and
natioral assemblies of the party. These
are the distinct supreme courts of
the party, speaking the concurrent test-
mony and conscience of the people
composing the rank and file of the party.
The deliverances of these courts const-
tute the highest. authority In the party,
except the party itself, and are laws of
jilt party uHllI Ine creator TSNeTSeS the
decision of its Legislative agents. and
are binding upon the individual members
of the organization, because they direct
ly participated in choosing the agents to
consider ard deliver the will. of members
in representative capacity, and there
is no release from party law except by
desertion or rebellion, >. It is treason to
wear the party uniform IN the ranks of
the enemy, orooppOsing parity
1t is disloyalty to- participate or &C.
quiesce in thep rimaries, and then rebel
against it's manifest majority actions.
True, it is rot treason~to dissent from
particular clauses of the supreme court.
but good and loyal defb6ctat will sub
nit to the majority rulez-that is the
meaning. the soul of democracy A
kicker and sucker never rffaRes good
ranks, and i6bef.-' fouds dfoItndu abuse
and denunciation of the lawfully chosen
officers of the party is disaeyalty and
ends in treason. An open enemy is pre-
ferable to secret foe, and both ought toI
take a manly stand in the opposing
party. They should go where they be-
long. t....5-
Good men often do wrong. 80 Good men
are often led astray by designing and
corrupt men. The steps of a good man
often slide-but If he is horsst and made
sensible of his error he will and ought
to be permitted to quickly return and
take his place around the family fire.
side and, at the communion. table. But
those who cause these little ones to fall
should be disciplined-to the extent at
least of giving satisfactory evidence of
sincere repentance-or in certain cases,
giving a written obligation" bond for
future good behavior and fidelity. posi-
ton not many months since assumed by
a certain vehement newspaper a the
capital. 1 suppose what was good for
the gander then, is good for the old
goose" now. It is always good to run
party lines straight" in order to head off
serters and red handed traitors Great
men are not always wise"
believe in free. speecb and open crit
icisms until the battle,opens. and then
woe be unto him who fags or obstructs
the march and charge to final victory
OLD GUARD.