The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-08-08
COLUMN

EDITORIAL COLUMN. I
Spite VS.. Principle.
We wish to call particular attention
to the last plank of the democratic
county platform in which the Governor
of Iowa, our fellow citizen is specifical-
~ denounced. We not believe that it |
expresses the sentiment of any con-
siderable portion Of the democracy Of
Crawford county. In fact we believe
1t misrepresents them and ascribes to
them feelings of petty spite which they
do not entertain, There is no attempt
to conceal the motive of this plank, it
is not directed against the republican
state administration or any policy of
the republican party in the state, it is,
as it was intended, a direct personal at
tack upon Mr.. Shaw. The resolutions
are signed by j. B. Romans, A. b. Lor-
enzen and Henry Hoefer, but it is we'll
known that the plank IN question was
inspired by and was the work of the
chairman of the committee. Is it not
time that the democracy of this county
should cease to be the personal engine
to vent the spite of one man against
former friend. The democratic party
Of this or any other county should be
too great to be thus misused. Romans
seems to have personal quarrel with
Mr.. Shaw. q quarrel growing out of
political disappointments and envy.
II he wishes to continue this quarrel
and to show his sore spots in this per-
sonal way he has right to do SO. Even
those who for fear Of his power and
wealth aid him, think less of him for
his course, but that is his own business.
1t is debasement Of the democratic
party however to ask it to take up Ro-
mans personal quarrel and to act
simply as tool to vent his spleen.
Revenge and spite are not high motives
In any man. how much less worthy are
they for party supposed to be stand
ing on the broad ground of principleY
We believe Romans self. sought and
self-perpetuated quarrel is of but little
interest to the great mass of our PEG.
pie. We know of many democrats who
are tired Of having hatred for Shaw
made the first and most important test
of their loyalty.
This mean and baseless personal res
olution was beneath the dignity of q
political convention.
This article will probably be answered
by the oft-repeated cry that Romans
is not in politics; he holds no Office and
is thus private citizen.'' This express
ion would seem to indicate that the
highest ideal of the politician is to hold
Office. The fact is that vast number
of the great factors in American poll
tics do not hold Office. In truth we
. have found that in too many cases when
man gets the Office he is after he
drops out Of politics. Be this as it may
we all know that two thirds of Romans
waking hours are devoted to what he
calls politics. II they were the true
kind Of politics no one would have
right to complain, but his ideal of poll
tics seems to be, first personal aggran-
dizement. and secondly-the further
ance of personal grudges, both within
and without his present party.
/ In 1895 Mr.. Romans called himself a
republican. He had been elected Mayor
by the republicans and was chairman
of the republican county committee. He
was q republican in prohibition days
and actively and ardently supported
the very plank on the liquor question
which his resolutions of Saturday de.
nounce so furiously, He had been a
candidate for Office several times. but
was defeated. He joined in the rise of
silver sentiment. and his republicanism
became questioned, 90 much so that
when he became q candidate for mayor
he felt it necessary to ask prominent
republican to vouch for his republican
Ism. During this same year he opposed
the head ofthe republican ticket which,
as county chairman, he was obliged to
support. No one can question his right
to refuse his support as an individual,
but a. the commanding officer of the
party he had no right to betray it.
When this was intimated to him he re-
fused to resign his craftsmanship. It
will be remembered that before the
Civil War the southerners then in DOW
or used every effort to have the ammu-
milton and guns of the Union removed
to southern territory. In identical
manner Romans worked to undermine
the republican party, and to betray the
confidence reposed in him. In 1895 he
threw off the mask and became an
apostle Of democracy. So anxious were
the democrats to cater to the ex-
republicans that he received the nomi-
~~A1 g. n