The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-26
aEPrHLrcssrsa II yIReIxr..

II il too much 10 hope that the Re
publican ticket can be elected tais fall
IA Virginia, but the contest has Ter Re
pablieans generally an exceedingly in
teTesting side Factionalisu exists in
every state aud every party. and the
stronger a party Ia e state the more
intensely bitter does the factionalism
become. Where there is a powerful
common enemy TO overcome, this pet
tier warfare generally disappears after
the nominating convention, but In Viz
GINA it does not Indeed. the earnest
ness with which s0utherner rides all
his hobbies and the relentlessness with
which be meets his adversary serves 10
make RepubIicanism in the South
something different from the Repub-
llcanIsm OF the North
The only matter in which the South
ever stood together IN an unbroken
pbalanx was In It's antlpathy to the
colored race. II differed in all else, but
In this il was solid. The Republicans
are governed by that spirit Of contrari-
ness. Since there seemed to be no
chance OF beating the Democrats this
fall, the Republicans split over the
question whether or not they should
try. There is always a brave showing
made in presidential years, because
there Ia prospect Of consolation even
In defeat; but a large faction has been
unwilling to go TO the trouble in OF
years.
The Republican state committee met
In August and the do-nothings got
control. They ousted Col Lamb from
the chair and elected W. Park Agnew,
10 emphasize their expressed opinion
that it was inexpedient to put ticket
In the field this year. There was pro-
found indignation on the part OF those
who are Republicans from principle,
and the feeling finally manifested itself
In a call for a popular convention un-
der Col Lamb, at. which a full ticket
was nominated.
Although the convention was attend
ed by some of the most active men in
the party. there Is not much prospect of
success under the circumstances. Had
the Republicans been united and en-
tered the campaign with yigor, there
would have been a fighting chance for
at least part Of the ticket. The Demo
Gratis are only nominally united. The
ill-feeling which grew out of the presi-
Dental campaign has not been allayed,
but rather increased. through dlssatis-
faction with the local Democratic
rulers in several populous districts.
There is no real friendship between the
sound money Democrats and the free
silver Democrats. They are as far
apart as were the old blue-blooded
Bourbon Democrats from the carpet
bag Republicans of reconstruction days.
With such manifest opportunity TO
create split II is ineomprehensible
that the Republican leaders should
have been content TO drift along No
party can be successful which only
fights when there are loaves and fishes
in view. The pretense may have been
anything; the people will be apt to
place the right construction upon such
intermittent party zeal and suffer their
loyalty to It's principles TO languish.
while for the self-seeking leaders they
/ can have only contempt.
Republicans all over the country are
/ concerned. therefore. In this contest
| Their encouraging cheers win stimulate
those who are leading tne forlorn hope
and bravely storming the enemy's po-
siton. suffering from the fire them
selves. but calamity opening the way
| for reinforcements at later day There
| Is spirit In this fight which Is wanting
when the spolls OF war seem sure.
There is a principle behind & of greater
! Importance than all the Offices com
| bined.