The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-03-21
Observation-Disclosures.
A SAMPLE OF HARMONY.

~ ID AOlIuAoSC III lAC uCluOCldCy vi
the nation that at the very beginning
of the fight the reorganizers furnish
sample of the harmony which they
recommend to the party at large. st.
Louis, the chief city of one of the great
democratic states, Is chosen as the
theatre for the exhibition of this model
reconciliation! A mayor is to be chos-
en- who will hold office during the
worlds fair, and certain men who did
not think it important that the ma
ton should have democratic presi-
dent are convinced that it is a mat
ter Of paramount Importance that st.
Louis should have democratic mayor.
OF course, it was thought necessary
that so important an Office at SO i'm
portant time should be filled by a
man of eminent responsibility" but
1t is strange that among the many
thousands in st. Louis who are in the
habit of voting the democratic ticket.
not one could be found who measured
up to the standard set by the reorgan-
iZers.
Mr.. Rolla Wells, the gentleman who
was nominated by the democratic city
convention, renowned his allegiance
to the democratic party in 1896 and
resigned the presidency of the St.
Louis democratic club. He actively
co-operated with the boiling contin-
gent who supported the republican
ticket that year, and in 1898 he OPEN
ly opposed the democratic candidate
for congress in his district. In 1900
his influence was given to the republic
can national ticket, and he has not
since that time returned to the demo-
cratic principles as set forth in the
party platform.
The resolutions adopted by the To-
cal convention which nominated him
include an Endorsement Of 1.-The funda-
mental principles of democracy" but
Mr.. Wells, If elected, will be able to
define and construe those principles
to suit himself.
Mr.. Wells is personally, no doubt,
good man. According to the Republic,
Mr. Carpenter of the National Lead
company, republican, gives Mr..
Wells a certificate of good character,
and Mr.. Walsh of the Terminal Rail-
road company indorses the certificate.
Even the Globe-Democrat cannot
withhold it's testimony to his respect
ability.
1t may be that the situation in st.
louis is such as to make it necessary
to disregard party lines, but if such is
the case, the candidate should run as
non-partisan or as an independent.
Mr.. Wells has been affectionately de-
scribed by his friends as "a man who
can win," but what if he can win? 1t
would not be fair to hold the demo-
cratic party responsible for the ad-
ministration of man who, by his own
act, severed himself from his party
and repudiated it's principles.
A party must have principles as we'll
as an organization, and national con-
vention is the proper body to declare
those principles. If, after a platform
| is adopted, any member cannot con-
scientiously support that platform, he
has perfect right to leave the party,
and no one can justly criticise his ac-
ton If he is honest with himself and
with his party. But man cannot be
outside of party and inside at the
same time. Those who remain inside
the party have rights as well as those
who desert it. They have right to
insist that any one who leaves his par
ty and opposes it's platform and candi-
dates shall return in some open and
formal way before he can again con-
slider himself a member. 1t is not
enough that Mr. Wells condescends to
accept nomination and chance of
election to an important office; that is
merely an acceptance of benefit from
party which he repudiated and
spurned. Before he is entitled to be
called a democrat he must in some
way manifest his Willingness to &C
cept the party creed. He may be will
ing to have the party accept his prin-
ciples, but not willing to accept the
party's principles. He may think it
humiliating to return to the party, but
is it not more humiliating for the par
ty to surrender to him?
The democratic party showed in the
campaign of 1900 that it was ready to
welcome any returning democrat, and
it is doubtless just as ready now to ex-
tend welcome to those who opposed
the ticket in 1900, provided they ex-
press willingness to accept the prin-
ciples of the party and give some evil
dence of their intention to support the
party's candidates in the future. The
prodigal son is always we'll treated
when he sees the error of his ways and
rejoins the family, but he ought not
to demand a deed to the house as a
COuulIlOl pIeCGuSuI W his I6luiu.
The nomination of Mr.. Wells may,
in st. Louis, be attributed to his pri-
vate character or personal merits, but
outside of st. Louis it is everywhere
hailed as a triumph for the reaction
airy elements of the party.
The Louisville Courier-Journal says
of it:
This action of the party in St.
Louis (the democratic nomination of
gold bug for mayor is evidence that
the process of reunion is going on. 1t
also shows how rapidly the silver issue
is passing from public view in such an
extreme democratic state as Missouri.
1t is a most suspicious indication of
the decline in party strife and the re-
turn of the masses to the old leaders
under whom it was led to victory in
former years."
In the campaign of 1900 the demo-
cratic party stood for the Declaration
of Independence and for industrial in
dependence as we'll as for financial in
dependence, and the democrats of st.
Louis gave loyal support to the ticket
The republican party stood for an inn