The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-02-18
A dangerous Mistake-Duty OF Dubois
County Democrats.

to appear in the role of critic o
the methods adopted to ccntro
Democrats by the Central Commit
tee chosen TO secure the creates
success for the party in Dubois
county, but the gravity of the stu
alton, and the Importance of secur
ing the election Of Democrats a,
Senator and Representative in tn,
Legislature from this district mus
be its excuse, if excuse be needed
for reminding Democrats that tn,
"unit rule" as ad pied by the
Committee upon the insistance o.
Chairman Koerner on Tuesday last
has proven injurious to the harmony
and best interests of the Duboi.
Democracy heretofore, and the fact
that the reelection of u. S. Senator
Turpie by The next Lie gislature may
he determined by foolish adher-
ence to a rule which resulted in the
defeat of Hon. w. A. Traylor fol
Judge in 1896, and his consequent
retirement politically, by ill-advised
friends OIL the committee, should
be a warning to those on the com
mittee not to produce the same
friction in the party this year.
There cannot be question with
thoughtful persons that Democratic
division in this Senatorial, Repre-
sentative and Judicial district this
year is the opportunity for Republi-
can success, and that the attempt
of Dubois County Democrats to
compel their Democratic bretheren,
with equal rights, with their own, of
Daviess and Pike counties, to sub
init to any dictation on ourpart, will
result in the election in November
OF Republican Senator, Represen-
tative and Prosecutor in this dis
'rict, no mater whom we may NOM
mate, and the two votes thus lost to
the Democrats in the Legislature,
will imperil the election of Hon.
David Turpie as his own successor
in the U. 5. Senate, and may result,
In defeat OF all Legislation for the
benefit of the common People.
1t was humiliating admission
made by Chairman Koerner in re-
spouse to a question on Tuesday.
that he chad written fifteen letters
10 the chairman Of the Democratic
Committees OF Pike county during
the last canvass and failed to rec Give
ar answer to any of them, and that
he did not intend to write again. -
This was the effect of the "unit
rule" and shows Clearly what
should have been known before, and
of which he was informed before he
wrote, that little concilliatory
recognition Of the equal rights of
brother Democrats of other counties
interested, would be much more
productive Of success, and the har-
monious selection of candidates,
than an attempt to compel a minori-
ty to submit to the interested dicta-
ton Of Dubois County Democrats.
"You may lead horse to water,
but you can't compel him to drink, y
SO you may lead party to the
dumping off place." and insure
its defeat. Tie first letter of Mr..
koerner to the Chairman of the
Democratic Committee of Pike
county, saying that the "unit ruIe-
had been withdrawn by the Dubois
county committee, and it was will
ling to meet the Pike committee.
and adjust their differences in a
fair, brotherly, Democratic way,
would have, no doubt, met hearty
response, and the writing of fifteen
letters would not have been neces-
sary, and possibly Mr.. Traylor
might have been chosen as the
nominee of the district, and been
to-day the regular Judge, position
he would have honored. But a
more deadly and certain course
could not have been devised for lay
ing him on the shelf, than the one
that was pursued, and there are
Democrats who firmly believe il
was purposelv done to accomplish
that end, that he might be removed
from their path Of ambition. Be
that as it may, the same course will
result in the defeat of Democrats
this time, and the party cannot af-
ford it. Hence this warning voice
OF the COURIER now, while there is
yet time to secure victory for part v
principles, where victory is OF the
utmost importance, and is not a
personal matter, but is far-reaching
in its effects. In the judicial race
two years ago, it was matter only
Of preference between two compe
tent gentlemen, both loyal Demo-
Gratis. 1t is diff. rent this year.
1t is fortunate the new Committee
for Dubois county will be selected
SO early in the canvass, and at its