Amador ledger., 1904-08-19
REPUBLICAN LOCAL OUTLOOK.

republican and democratic stand
point, so far as Amador county is
concerned, is more complicated than
for several years past. From the
returns of the last general election
the republicans have an average
margin of $50 votes over the demo-
Gratis. Pardee's majority was below
the average, being So; Lane, the
democratic nominee for governor,
was about 100 votes stronger than his
party in this county. Every man on
the republican state ticket carried
the county by substan tial major
ity. Indeed SO for Pardee was the
lowest majority on the state and con-
gressional tickets. Curry, for secre-
tary of state, received 309 majority
in the county. On clear-cut party
lines between republicans and demo-
Gratis, it may be safely calculated
that the republicans have $50 votes
more than their opponents. This
year the possible injection of the
labor organization into politics may
disturb these figures, To what ex-
tent this disturbing factor may
break into the old party ranks can
not be foreseen, and it is useless to
speculate upon such proposition.
While the republicans as far as
the state and congressional tickets
are concerned made an excellent
showing, rolling up a substantial
majority for every candidate, when
the field of local candidates comes
under investigation the result is
very disappointing. Amador coun-
ty republicans can vote well for out
siders, but for members of their own
party running for local or state
offices they have not made CORES
pondingly satisfactory showing,
Only three local men secured a ma
jority McKenney for assembly
man by II, 7. K. Norman for sheriff
by 223, and ]. Marchant by 815
votes. The rest of the official plums
were given to the democrats by de-
cisive majorities. 1t is well for re-
publicans to ponder over this mat
ter; find out the causes which have
contributed to this wholesale deser-
tion of local candidates by republi-
cans, and apply the remedy, if
remedy is possible. The logic of the
facts stated is that republicans have
faith in the national and state man
agement of the party, and the candi-
dates presented-confdence enough
to vote the ticket-but local issues
and candidates do not come up to
the notion of the rank and file to
carry them to victory. 1t is un-
questionably true that republicans
as rule pay more regard to national
and state politics, while the demo-
Gratis are more concerned to secure
the local offices. 1t is on national
issues that party principles are
pressed to the front, and control the
actions of the voters. In county
affairs the personnel of the candi-
date is often the potent factor, and
party allegiance is relegated to the
background. That is to say, it
takes less ground to ALLEVIATE repub-
lican support from a candidate for
local Office than for state or nation
al Office. 1t must not be inferred,
however, that even in local affairs
republicans are disposed to act ar
bitrarily, and scratch their ticket
merely for the sake of scratching
The Ledger is not an advocate of
blind adherence to party ticket If
an unfit man is put up for Office, it
is duty man owes to himself and
the cause of good government to
vote against him. This sort of indie
pendence is too sacred and vital to
the welfare of the community to ad-
nit of discussion. Loyalty to party
must be subordinate to loyalty to
country and home interests. But
when candidates against whose char
acter and fitness nothing can be said
are scratched, the effect is demora-
lizipg in the extreme. 1t is this ten
dency that is discouraging, and the
cause of it must be removed ere we
can hope to succeed to the extent
warranted by our numerical superb
ority. 1t is the duty of those elect
ed on the republican ticket to stand
by those who helped to elect them.
If they do not do this they forfeit all
claim to support as party men. The
idea of casting aside those whose
fealty has been proven, and reach
ing out, by the disposal of patron
age, to those who have not support
ed them, in the belief that such
course is calculated to gather votes,
is vicious and cannot be upheld by