The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-10
ACCOUNTING FOR DEFEAT.

Among the minor and meaner traits
of human character is found a DISPOSE
ton In almost every specimen of the
race to charge his or her failure to the
conduct of some one else. At the end
of every hand in a game of cards there
is cackle of explanation, interlarded
with ifs and 'ands," and it is always
the defeated party that becomes verbose
in the way Of explanation. AT the close
of each campaign, there is a tornado of
explanations, and in the ranks of the
defeated party there are ordinations
and determinations.
Among politicians the word treachery
is used to explain away incompetency.
Every defeated candidate accounts for
his discontinue, not on the ground of
his own personal unpopularity, not be-
cause he was not entitled to win, not
because he was not the best man for
the office running, not because of any
encouragement of his campaign, or
any errors or mistakes on his part; but
because Of the fraud of his antagonists.
the unfairness of the opposition meth
DDS and the treachery Of his own par
tisans.
Even in purely personal affairs. no In
dividual confesses to financial mistakes
on his own part to account for his Pc
cuniary nisfortunes. Poverty is meyer
deserved. Bankruptcy is not the RE-
Crr1f Of dichnna<fv
on the part Of other persons than the
bankrupt. From childhood to age men
seek to shift the responsibility for their
errors. mistakes. shortening and even
crimes upon the shoulders of others.
The confessions of the gallows are
usually associated with the charge that
the undoing which brought the victim
there was clearly chargeable to the in
fuence of bad associates Standing on
the drop many reprobates have de-
clared that bad company was the cause
of their ruin when in all probability IN
any company. however bad. they them
selves would have BEEN the most essen
TALLY and incorrigibly criminal
II the Senatorial deadlock shall con-
tinue to the end and the Republican
party is cheated Of the legitimate fruits
of its late victory there will be regu-
lar hailstorm of wordy explanation. No
s1ndividual of all those who are to-day
parties to the deadlock will be found
confessing any weakness. any mistake.
any mislaid plan, any want Of compe-
tency, any absence OF foresight any
lack of skill in political management or
1.-The absence of any attribute of leader
ship 1t Will be the other fellow who
ds to blame, and especially that other
fellow will be the man who quietly be-
1rayed his friend.
At the close of every convention ~
per cent of the defeated candidates for
nomination declare that if all the PROM
Uses made to them had been kept they
would have been nominated by Two
thirds vote. AT the close of every cleo
tion the defeated party uniformly de-
clares that if the people who believed
with them had acted with them, their
and complete. And so when the mem
bers Of the Legislature return to their
homes and the candidates for whom
they have voted return to their usual
vocations in their accustomed walks Of
life, each. and all will explain that they
in no way contributed to the humilia-
ton of the party, or to the betrayal of
the trust which resulted in the party's
discontinue and defeat. Each will
plead the sins of others as defense
against any indictment which may be
brought against them. Already there
is ample Indication of this. Already
from the headquarters of almost any
candidate there have issued forth NUT
terings and suspicious. Certain indi-
viduals, corporations and influences
have been guilty of disloyalty: have
broken their pledges. and have treacn-
erously comprised the defeat Of all dis
appointed candidates Therx Will be
none to declare with open candor that
they were not wanted by the party, ilo1
It's Representatives. There will be none