The record-union., 1899-03-15
.REcREANr TO THEIR TRUST

gress It has failed to give effect TO
the verdict of the people entered at
the polls last November. That verclct
was rendered in a clear and speclnc
manner and admitted of no apternatlVe'
no delay. Failure to carry that verdlct
into effect has produced a palpable mis-
carriage of justice.-Los Angeles Times.
The reduction of the Republican ma
jority in the United States Senate by
reason of any failure to elect a Sena-
tor from California, will be rightfully
charged against the party in this State
with an emphasis which no possible ex-
cuses can mitigate
We live under democratic forms, and
as a people submit ourselves constant
1y to those peaceable revolutions which
are determined by the expression Of the
will Of the majority. We have carried
this principle. Of necessity into party
organization. When the people nave
made a party dominant in the legisla-
tive and administrative system of the
State, the same obligations are imposed
upon it as to rules of action which must
obtain in the conduct Of the State as
social and political organizations
The Republican party, therefore, Is
bound not only by its traditions, but
by the ethics Of government, under such
arbitramenN of pretension by candidates
as party council affirms, to elect a Sen
ator at this session Of the Legislature.
Refusal to do so becomes a distinct
failure of government for which the
Republican party alone Is responsible.
since its dominance casts the entire
responsd bi1ity for such failure upon it.
It being established, therefore, that
the right and justice of majority rule
In the party are the same as in the
State. 1t follows that it is a duty to
determine majority within the party
in the matter Of choosing a Senator,
and THAT failure to do so and to employ
the usual and traditional methods to
that end, is in the nature of a crime.
Tt is a case where dereliction becomes
Quasi-criminal. AS We yesterday said,
=
genius of popular government" This
dereliction, refusal or stubborn resist
ance of the right and duty of the party
must take on something of the charac-
ter of treason. to the party, and in a
sense is a crime against all the people.
If consummated, the people will resent
1t by more than rebuke-they will i'm
pose punishment for 1T, not only upon
the whole body Of the party from
which they will withdraw their counte-
nance, but upon the individual repre-
sentatives Of the party who inderposes
their personal predictions and stub
born Judgments between the right of
the people Of this State to have the
vacant Senatorial chair filled, and the
right Of the people of the whole nation
to have the Senate roll call full to the
last man. that government may pro-
ceed upon the democratic principles OF
the rule Of the majority.
It is, therefore, justifable to repeat
that the present Senatorial deadlock if
continued to the end will be placed
upon the plane of treason to the will
or the majority. It will be distinct
and conscienceIess denial of the will
of the people; it will be defiant and
rebeIlious assertion of a power to mis-
use which is not to the right Of any
Senator or any Assemblyman, and mis-
uses OF which is violative of a sacred
right in civil liberty.
It must be assumed that a man IS a
Republican because he believes in the
basic principles of the party; because
he Is ready to subordinate himself to
the rules, traditions and ethical code of
the party. When he cannot do so. 1T is
his bounden duty to his conscience and
his right to leave the organization, and
that right is inalienable and undeniable
No one. therefore, swings the la h over
the party representatives But the peo-
pie dos and they have the right to de-
clare that their viii shall find express
sionfand realization through the votes
of their legislative representatives. and
culrninate in the choice of a Senator.
that they may be fully represented in
the chief body Of the national legisla-
ture.
The inevitable conclusion then, is this
that the representatives Of the domi-
nant party in the Legislature have not
the right to commit suicide, for in so
doing they do worse, they murder the
party behind them; they are the direct
and clearly responsible persons who are
guilty of its untimely taking off.
These persons. however, will not be
alone in the condemnation. AS this
journal has often said and repeats. the
candidates whose influence is exerted
to the same end will be held equally
guilty. The decree of condemnation will
and must inevitably be visited upon
tnem- II they assume to be leaders
they will forfeit and be deposed from
such position for all time. and to their
names Will attach alike with the 9TH
ers the infamy OF the crime of refusal
TO elect, or failure to employ the party
methods Of selection.
To remain steadfast to the candidates.
preferring their ambitions before the
party welfare, is not commendable 10y
atty, and is criminal when the purchase
price Of such an adhesion is the life
of the party organization in the State.
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