Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-02-21
Partianship.

Yet men are maligned because they
have political convictions. Candi-
dates are condemned because they
act with party, and nominations
ARE repudiatcd because they are made
upon party platform. Self-styled
independents arrogate to them
selves virtues not to be found by
them in those who seek to do their
duty as partisans But such men are
rarely distinguished either for cour-
age, sincerity, devotion to principle,
fidelity 10 pledges or worthy achieve
ment The man who has not posi-
tiveness Of character enough TO have
party affiliations, may be good man
ia some respects, but he will rarely
/ be successful himself, or of much ser
vice to the Republic. His warfare
with wrong, if he wage any war at
all, will be that Of the guerilla un-
der cover, not that of the soldier in
the open field. His status in society
If he has any status at all, viii be
that of the weather vane, whirled by
the wind, not that OF the rock which
resists the blasts. Such irresclution
and indecision is sign Of weakness.
/ And it NAV then here and now be ask
ed if man is vacillating in one
! thing. why may he not be in another?
! And who will claim that vacilation is
qualification for public position, es-
pccally for a judicial position where
conclusions are to be reached and de-
cisions rendered. Yet the chief
claim Of consideration on the part Of
a candidate for office in Grant county
is that he is not the choice Of a con
vention, and Is not the preference Of
party. While. on the other hand,
the chief criticism Of another candi-
date is that be is the nominee OF a
political party, and that therefore, he
is a partisan.
Partisanship in its true sense. is
simply adherence TO. and belief in
the principles Of a party, and IS as
different from prejudice as belief is
different from bigotry. Christianity
4 is preached by more than one hum
bred different denominations But
because man is Methodist, Bap-
/ fist or Lutheran, is he therefore any
the less pious, is Christianity there
fore in any the greater danger and
must he have therefore hatred in his
/ heart and vinegar upon his tongue
for all other forms Of faith Yet to
say that a man is not Il Christ IN be-
cause he belongs to a church and
that he is not 10 lie trusted because
OF his theology, is 10 more senseless
and shallow than to say that a man
is not 4 patriot because he belongs TO
party, and that he must not have
position because of his politics.
With all their faults. Christianity has
been fostered by faiths and cared for
by churches The "Any-church-is-
good. enough-for-me" fraternity has
never built churches or carried the
gospel to foreign fields. There is
''liberality " which is extremely light
There is breadth" which is tremen-
dously thin Such is the liberality
which sneers at -ects; such is the
breadth which belaborS belief, And
ii has always been true that those
who have been the most loyal to their
own forms Of faith. have been the
most tolerant Of other teachings and
the most active and successful IN
spreading Christianity throughout
the earth. II was John Wesley, the
founder Of Il great church who said:
Il desire lcagua offensive and de-
feusne with every soldier Of Christi
and il was that lordly and loyal leader
who was the most triumphant teacher
OF his time
So it is III the political world. Pa
triotism has been taught bv scores Il
political parties. Aud Shall we say
that because a man is Republican or
Democrat that he is therefore not Il
patriot3 Certainly not The very
fact that he i, identified with some
political party is evidence
that he is Interested in the affairs of
governments. The very fact that he
ha, opinions and .,views," that he
has moral courage to express those
views and opinions nj proper times
and in proper places. and that he is
/ wise enough to associate himself with
others having like Views and opinions
should he placed y his credit in the
Ledger If Lite. \ man without a
/ back bone is n tit FOL hod-carrier
/ piece of putty is a. tit for founda-
4 ton, us Il a man without party
suited for public position. Nom
i parti~anShip il simply uoRYsU>, The
goad that has come to this govern
meut has been through the triumph
of parties Slavery was everthrdWn
through the triumph If tire Republic
can party I,rt toy was acquired
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