The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-05-01
IraorRs ANo FOLLOWERS.


II requires very little brains and no
moral courage for an individual or a
newspaper 10 bundly follow the die
rates OF a political party and take no
Fart whatever in the nomination Of
me candidates or the formulation OF
the principles of that party. Particu-
larly IS this true Of the individual or
the newspaper which lives in com
munity where nearly every body ad-
heres TO the party to which this slay-
ish allegiance is given. II all news
papers and individuals had acted upon
the idea that II were treason 70 party
and yiolative of party duty to critl-
else a candidate because he sought us
nomination or advocate a policy which
the best element Of the organization
sought to have incorporated in the
marty creed, because. forsooth, u
might disturb party harmony, there
would never have been any progress
within party lines. The first platform
that was written, when conditions
were very different from what they
are now. would still be the exclusive
and only party guide.
Stagnation and not progress would
have marked the history OF a party
If all its leaders and its journals had
taken the view that it was not good
Democracy to oppose or advocate the
nomination of a candidate or adoption
of a platform merely because party
harmony might be disturbed, some thin
skinned or time-serving individual Of
Tended or some violence be done to
the organization. The way to keep
marty militant, victorious and domi-
nant is to make 1t deserving OF the
confidence and support of the best
citizenship. This can be done only
by warning the party Of the pitfalls
which beset it; by cautioning its lead
ers against unwise policies and I'M
worthy candidates. The party organ
which fails to do this does not tulhll
its mission and is unworthy the sup
port and confidence Of the public.
It does not require any courage Tor
a man to follow where others have
blazed the path. AS a rule the news
paper or the citizen who is content
merely to espouse the party nominee
is without moral courage and wholly
devoid of convictions. The individ-
ual who belongs to this class does not
measure up to the standard of good
citizenship and the newspaper which
takes this position does not best
serve it's party, its community, or its
country
Especially is this true where great
moral issue is submitted to the party
for it's decision. In the pending cam
paign there is no place for trimmers
or moral towards either among the
members of the Democratic party or
it's party journals This campaign
will determine wether or not the IN
famous liquor traffic is to be forever
and finally destroyed in Tennessee or
whether it is to be given new lease
Of life. The issue is: Shall the tenn
perance movement progress or snail
the State government be turned over
to the liquor reactionaries? This is
the paramount question. 1t is one
that the Democrats must decide at the
polls on June 27.
It is no time, in the face of an issue
that threatens the safety of the home,
the moral and material welfare OF the
State and the purity of public life for
any individual to shirk an Issue of this
magnitude by hiding behind his party
loyalty. If he is really and truly con-
cerned as to the future of his party
he cannot afford to sit supinely by
and allow all of the forces of corrup-
ton and fraud and immortality to de-
termine it's policies and name It's can
QlQdUeS. IL IuIS OphSe'Il'i iNS'o W
the individual certainly no one could
contend that it does not with mutt
piled force rest upon the party jour
nal. Newspapers should mould pub
lie sentiment; they should be leaders
of thought and not blind followers IN
paths where other and Drawer spirits
have blazed the way.
--------------------