The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-04-30
PRINCIPLES, NOT MEN.

or cry down the individual. The ultl-
mate result would be political chaos, IN
the opinion of the Texas senator. He
cited the cases of Senator Aidrich and
Speaker Cannon in the course OF a
speech in Washington the other night
as an illustration, declaring that both
have been unjustly condemned.
"Aldrich and Cannon stand today for
ell that the Republican party has stood
for in the days of its power and tri-
umph; and the Republican party has
always stood for what they stand for
today" said Mr.. Bailey.
IF the Republican who is dissatisfied
with the leadership of Cannon and AL
drich will examine the roll calls during
the last thirty years in both houses of
Congress, he will find that Cannon and
Aldrich have steadily voted with them.
This is another illustration, this time
reversed, of the bad habit into which
the American people have fallen Of dis
GUESSING men instead of principles and
policies.
eve might just as we'll meet this
question fairly and arraign the Repub-
iican party instead of Aldrich and Can
non. for the Republican party has au-
thorized and approved all they have
done. indeed. all they have done has
been done in the name and on the be-
half of the Republican party"
The regular Republican will have no
fault to find with that statement of the
case. The Republican party today
stands for the principles for which it
fought under the leadership of Abra-
ham Lincoln. The principles of Repub-
Iicanism viii not be altered or changed
to suit the ideas of any one individual
or little coterie of men who are eternal
Iy trying to lift themselves by their
boot-straps. So long as the party ex-
lists 1t will direct the affairs of the gov
eminent in accordance with these prin-
ciples If out of power it will uphold
them just the same.
The insane cry Of "Aldrichism" and
"Cannonism" was raised by the in
surgents, and for time quite a furore
was created. The dust has finally been
removed from the eyes of the people,
and the issue OF the campaign will be
Republicanism versus Democracy, pro-
lection or free trade.
In answer 20 a question propounded
by the Washington Post, Mr.. Bailey de-
fined what he meant by political
chaos"
at means in the first place." said the
senator, that there has been almost
complete obliteration of party lines.
Until recently all intelligent men. and
some who were not so intelligent, felt
and expressed high degree of pride In
their party loyalty; but in this day few
men proclaim themselves partisans,
and the few who do so understand that
they subject themselves to a censure
which assumes that a partisan is some
thing less than a patriot.
Naturally and inevitably, as party
lines disappear. party creeds fall into a
confusion. and the tendency to elect
candidates according to their personal
merits or demerits. rather than accord
ing to the principles which they repre-
sent. becomes almost irresistible.
Many good men hail this as a sign
Of better government. but am unable
TO subscribe to that opinion. They
would be right If this were a govern
ment of men, but they must be wrong,
as long as this remains a government
OF laws.
"a man without a party or a man
protesting to belong TO one party and
yet acting with another may be az un-
selfish patriot and sincerely anxious to
promote the public good. hut his candi-
dacy for an Office or his incumbency of
an Office must tend TO diminish in the
pies and to magnify the Importance Of
persons.
This has been the great and grow
ing evil in American politics for the
last fifteen years. Our campaigns,
state and national, have turned more
upon the personality Of the candidates
than upon the principles OF the party
The injurious effect OF all this has been,
and is, that IL the people happen to like
man they will support what he advo-
Gates with g blind infatuation. and they
are ready to reject even the soundest
principles or the wisest policies when
advocated by man who does not hap
pen TO enjoy their favor.
THE end to which this must lead In a
country like ours is so plain that have
often been appalled, by the number Of
our fellow citizens who seem indifrer-
ent to il.
''If We continue for another fifteen
yesrs iE the course which we have fol-
lowed for the last fifteen years. and If
the tendency IS accelerated IN the same
proportion. we win have no such thing
in this country as a political pa ~
based on fundamental principles of 1ne
government, or even based upon fixed
and well established policies; and our
elections will be determined entirely ac-
cording 70 the men who offer them
selves as candidates.
Il do not undervaiiIe the judgment Of
wise and patriotic man. and I am as