The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-15
POLITICAL DEAD WOOD.

Practical politics plays TO win and TO win now.
Political combinations are changeful. The present
move Is allimportant. Tomorrow a factor, an ele
ment, may desert. Therefore the politicians creed is
one Of tentative prudence. when in doubt take the
trick is his guiding principle. He will sacrifice no
present chance for a future. though larger. possibility.
He will guarantee present success at all future cost.
Sometimes he is short-sighted.
Political theorists and critics, employing hind sight.
have no difficulty in tracing the mistakes of politicians
in the field. Had So-and-so cut out the dead wood from
his ticket, he would have won by Il very much larger
margin"
There are persons who maintain that the Demo-
cratic ticket in the recent city campaign would have
VIGOROUSLY swept the city and won by a majority
double that which it received had it not been for
carrying certain dead wood in the shape of two or
three candidates tainted by a supposed connection
with an unworthy element.
From the practical mans viewpoint these candi-
dates were not dead wood; perhaps they made as
surance doubly sure. But it requires no very pro-
found wisdom. in the light of what did happen. to
perceive that they were to some extent an unneces-
sary hindrance. Removing them would have served
to clear the mind of every voter of all possible doubt
and to have inspired a higher degree of confidence in
party leadership for the future.
However this may be, there is no disputing the
point that the best practical politics of the future
Will be absolutely clean politics. Tickets must be
presented about which there can be not the remotest
faint of suspicion. st. Louis voters have drawn a
hard. fast line between the corrupt and the incor-
ruptible and have fixed a severely high standard of
character that looks both to the individual and to his
political affiliations and relationships. They have ac-
quired and will further acquire that rare virtue in mu-
nicipal elections-the scratching habit They will
measure and adjudge a ticket not alone by its gen.
eral personnel. but by particular detail.
st. Louis views politics in a brand-new light. 1t
has become a question with the individual. The duty
ment has been brought home to the door of every good
c~itizen-and good is the right word. The decent
element. that great % per cent of the people, has
been stirred to a deep sense of its responsibilities and
educated TO accept its political duties with something
like enthusiasm. Lessons of misgovernmcnt have
not been lost upon the people in whom the real power
resides. In the coming campaign they will display
none of the INERTIA and indifference commonly
accredited to the better classes"
Every reason urges upon the political leader or
practical politician the necessity of providing un-
objectionable candidates for public service.
1t should he borne in mind that the st. Louis public
has become predisposed toward the Democratic party.
Let the party make a clean, uncompromising fight
for purity in government and the public will flock to
it abidingly. Let the party incisively lp off the
dead wood and turn down" whatever factors may
be ugly to the public eye. Now is the time. if ever,
when no quarter need be asked Of bad factions, no
quarter given. 1t is the psychological moment for
every thread of connection between good and
bad. The public will powerfully vindieate the course.