The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1912-02-29
PRINCIPLE OR PERSON?

SoioChe 1ulJ dAu hI. lNOOot-
welt as honorable citizens, and
worthy to fill the exalted posi-
ton of president, will greatly re-
greet to see an internecine war
precipitated in the coming cam
palgn by the extremists and hot
heads of the two elements of the
party. Such course can re-
ssult in nothing less than over
whelming defeat for whichever
candidate is successful in secur-
ing the nomination. 1t means
The presentation. gratuitously, Of
the presidency to the democratic
candidate, whoever he may be.
This is what the political op-
ponents desire and have been
working for all along, and a
number Of the choleric republi-
can editors of this state are
playing as directly into their
hands by the abusive editorials
they are writing weekly about
the two prominent members of
their own party as it is posi-
BILE for them to do-even more so
than if they would turn over
openly to democracy and unfurl
the flag of Clark, Wilson, Har-
mon or Underwood at their mast
head. Then their TRADES would
be estimated at their true worth,
and would not mislead their
fellow republicans, with whom,
as republicans, they WELD added
influence,
1t is not the democratic party,
as party, that the republicans
need to fear in the forthcoming
campaign, or any special policy
or declaration Of principles which
that party has given utterance
to, but it's is the possible disaf-
lection in their own ranks which
may be brought about and fed
and fostered by the indiscrete
utterances Of certain public speak
ers and less discrete and we'll
founded articles published by GER
tain editors who claim to be
simon-pure republicans while us
ing whatever talent they may
have toward disrupting their
own party.
There may be some republican
editors in this state on both the
Taft and Roosevelt sides, who
would rather see a democrat
just any one of the numerous can
didates- elected than the repub-
ican candidate who is opposing
their favorite for the nomination.
If so they should be manly
enough to so state, admitting
that they are moi republicans from
principle, but republicans only
insofar as they can have their
own way, and that the personal
ity Of their favorite candidate,
with. them rises far above and
beyond the great principles which
called the republican party into
existence in this nation in the
hour of dire extremity, and has
continued it in power with but
two brief intermissions for more
than half q century J; which prin-
ciples SO clearly set forth the
needs and wishes of all classes
of the American people as to es-
tablish the party which advocated
and executed them, permanently
in the hearts Of the people of
this nation, thereby making that
party the greatest political pow
er for good in the known world.
u a man is simply playing"
politics, it is not the same as if
he meant it; as if he believed
in the principles and declarations
of his party with all his heart
and is ready to stand or fall
by them. That means that he
believes that there is "real" prin-
cipie in the declarations of his
party, and he therefore acts from
real" principle when he gives
freely of his time, means and
brains for the defense, propaga-
ton and extension of those prin-
clpies; and with such an one the
success or failure of the candi-
dacy OF no man can cause him to
stray from the beaten path of
rectltude and finally cast over
BOARD the precious and imperisha-
BILE jewel, principle, for the
tliieetlng and transitory attrac-
tion, personality.
Furthermore the division and |
disruption of the party national
~ means the destruction of par
ty fealty in the state, and con-
sequently the probable election of
a democratic governor and state
ticket. Such course would be
the greatest of unwisdom and