Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-01-16
SUBSCRIPTIONS.
THURSDAY. JANUARY is. 1902.
sTsADFAsTNEss.

his speech at Wooster, O., on the
/ of the 9th inst, Mr.. William ].
Tan, under the head of Establishes"
anc~2arty a lecture on its lack of firm
ness, or its wavering course. Perhaps he
had good reason for such lecture, as there
has been great wavering in the Demo
cratic ranks since the memorable political
b1tile of 1896.
Steadfastness is noble principle, but its
nobility depends greatly upon its applica;,
ton. When a man stands firmly fixed
upon truth, refusing to be driven from
his position. because he believes he is
right, honest, intelligent men admire his
steadfastness, though they may not agree
with his convictions. But when man adj
heres to an opinion merely to be consist
ent, after it has been demonstrated by
facts snd xperience thai he Is wrong, LIE
Is stubborn ahG not steadfast. A stead
fast adherence to truth is quite different
from a persistent, stubborn holding to
error.
In the course of his remarks at Wooster
MIR. Bryan said:
"Who will have faith IN the creed OF
party if the party stands ready to barter
away its creed in exchange for the promise
of patronage? A halting, vacilating course
not only fails to invite recruits, but alien
ates and drives away veterans"
We agree with Mr.. Bryan in his conclu'
sion, that the public will have very little
faith in a party that is ever ready to barter
it's creed in exchange for patronage. But
he might have gone farther, without doing
violence 70 the truth, and asked "who
will have faith in the creed of q party,
stubbornly adhered to, after time, expert
ence and facts have demonstrated that the
creed is false?" People may admire the
consistency of a man who sticks to what ne
believes and others know to be wrong, but
they will not have sufficient faith in his
Judgment to adopt bis theories. To barter
away a creed for patronage is vicious; to
adhere 10 what is false, merely for consls'
Aency, is stupid. Stubbornly clingiDg to
what one believes is not true is virtue
when compared with constantly Vaclllat'
ing course that is inspired by selfish pol
icy. When party not only abandcns It's
creed, but exhibits a'illa,ing spirit at
each succeeding election, it should mot
only fail to invite recruits" but should
''alienate and drive away veterans"
Mr.. Bryan should take his party chiefly
to task for Its tickle aud wsyering course.
No matter whether its conduct be inspired
by prurient desire to secure the "loaves
and fishes" or it be the result of deep,
but misguided sense Of duty, the Democ-
racy has made itself ridiculous by hunting
for new issues and repeatedly lifting up old
ones, claiming that they are new and par
amount. 1t is ever reforming It's creed,
but when it reforms one error out it re-
forms anoiher error in-all the errors be-
coming antiquated and shelf-worn.
The ordinary observer or student of pol
itics can recall how, even in the past dec
ade. the Democratic creed has repeatedly
been revised. In 1892 the tariff was made
the new or paramount issue, and the De-
mocracy scored victory for tarff for rev.
enue only. In 1896 the party made free
silver and government by injunction the
paramount issues. Then in 1900 we were
treated to fcsSy dose of antiimperial-
lam. which was made the shibboleth OF
Democratic faith. Now, if we are to form
an opinion from the declarations of the
Democratic press and leaders. we may
confidently look forward to a revision OF
the Democratic creed for the next national
election, with the tariff made the central,
issue. The other important
so-called paramount issues will beignored
and the Democracy will shout itself hoarse
over tariff reform. This does not show
lack of steadfastness, but furnishes addi-
tional proof of Democracy's immutable adj
hesion to the vacilIating course that has
made it unique in modern politics.
CONTEST WILL BE HEARD.