Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-04
The Perfdy at Column bus.

The betrayal of their party by those
republican members of the Ohio legisla-
ture who have helped the democrats to
organize both branches OF that BODY is in
every way a startling performance, and
otscures completely all questions purely
Personal connected with the matter. That
there are republican leaders in the state
who would fill the office Of United States
Senator quite as well as MI Hanna has
done is easily conceded. 1t is not con-
tended. even by Mr.. Hanna's most ardent
supporters that. in point of ability per-
sonal desserts. he is the only pebble on
the beach. But that. as his party's NOM
inee. accepted as such at the hands of a
state convention and canvassed for as such
before the people. he is the only man who
Low has honorable claim the men
elected as republicans TO the Legislature
cannot be disputed except upon lines of
compromising trivialitics.
Reasoning upon well accepted standards
of good faith. in what particular does the
position of the republican members of the
Ohio legislature with respect to Mr.. Han
mas senatorial candidacy differ from that
of electors chosen by a majority Of the pee
pie to vote for President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States? national
ticket is nominated by a national con-
vention. and by that action party
is committed. Electors selected to repre-
sent the party for the suffrages of the
people instructed as to their duty by
the nation al convention. They are left
with no individual choice in the premises
whatever. What would be said of an
elector who after being chosen on one
ticket should go into the college of the cp-
position and help to organize that body for
the success of the opposition ticket? What
attention would be paid to any excuses
he might offer predicated upon q COM
plant that personally he did not like his
rarty's candidates fer President and Vice
President? None. of course. He would
promptly and justly. be denounced as
traitor. Even the party which had used
him could not defend him, and in the case
of the presidency such perfdy would not
be permitted 10 succeed.
The republican members of the Ohio
Legislature stand formally instructed to
vote for Mr.. Hanna for Senator. They
are not permitted by the obligation of their
election any individual choice in the mat
ter. Personal in-wIll or revenge will ex-
cuse nothing they may do in violation of
their instructions. They are not at liberty
to go behind the returns The Toledo
convention may or 1t may not have acted
wisely. 1t nominated MIR. Bushnell for
governor and Mr.. Hanna for Senator The
people ratified both nominations at the
polls. and Mr. Bushnell is preparing tn
enter upon the term for which he was then
elected.
This violation of instructions strikes at
the very root of party government and
majority responsibility. Had John X. Nc
Lean been nominated for Senator by the
democratic convention. with the result of
securing democratic majority of the leg
islature. he would have been entitled to
election, just Mr.. Hanna now is from
the republican majority. He has his enc
mics in his party. as Mr. Hanna has in his
but in the circumstances suggested they
would not have been honcrabIy at liberty
to strike at him through any promptings
of personal opposition. IL the perfidv at
columbus succeeds, MIR. Hannas personal
loss will he small in comparison with that
which faith in the binding power of party
instructions will sustain