Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-08
Honorable Men and Others


Highly creditable to the personal
honor of the gentlemen responding
are the answers published in the Ga
zette- Times yesterday to the simple
question propounded by this news
paper to candidates before the Re-
publican primary election for nomt-
nations to the offices of Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of
Internal Affairs, Congressman-at-
Large and district congressman from
Allegheny county:
"Will you accept the decision of
the Republican primary and support
the party nominees in the November
election?"
The Gazette-Times would rejoice
could it conscientiously advise Re-
publicans in the case of the eleven
candidates who did not reply to its
inquiry that as silence gives con-
sent" according to the respectable
adage, they also may be regarded as
faithful to the American principle
of majority rule. Unfortunately, as to
some at least of them, any such con-
clusion is precluded by the revealed
O'Neil, for example, has declined to
commit himself, declared that he
would be guided by the decision of
his campaign committee, thus leav-
ing the presumption that he is more
concerned for his personal political
advancement than for his personal
honor; is more solicitous to secure a
lucrative office than to uphold the
principles of the party to which, by
his candidacy, he processes to ad-
here. For this question of accepting
the decision of the party primary is
simply one of good faith in support
of the principles for which the Re-
publican party stands.
Paul w. Houck, a candidate for
the nomination for Secretary of In
ternal Affairs. and associated on the
O'Neil-Scott ticket, declaring he will
support the nominee, puts the case in
a nutshell in these words: ITO do
otherwise would betray the prin-
ciples of the good old party" This is
irrefutable, for parties represent
principles; the principles they advo-
cate are the only reason for their ex-
istence. If Republican candidate
does not stand for that party's prin-
ciples he has no business to be a
candidate in its primary election, If
he does not propose to support the
nominees of a majority of the party
voters, how can he honorably ask
their support? If he refuses to make
known his intentions he is justly sus-
pect of contemplating a bolt" If de-
feated. His position can make no ap-
peal to honorable men. Someone is
bound to be cheated, whichever
course he may follow after the
primary election IL he fails of NOM
ination. william S. Bigger, a candi-
date for the Republican nomination
to Congress in the Twenty-ninth dis
trict, makes a contribution to under
standing of the implications when he
says that the primary gives the party
voters the opportunity to select their
Candidates Gall presumably advocat-
ing the same party principles), while
the election gives all the people their
opportunity to make a choice of
policy, that is, to declare themselves
on the question of what party prin-
ciples they prefer shall prevail.
1t is to be observed that most OF
the Republicans who replied to The
GaZette-Times' inquiry agree with
this newspaper in certain reserva-
tions as to the general rule that a
man entering the Republican pri-
maries is in honor bound to accept
the decision thereof and support the
nominees. If a candidate has secur-
ed his nomination by palpable fraud,
or, If nominee Is manifestly unfit
for office, he should not be sup
ported In the election. To support
such a man would be a betrayal OF
party and public. There being no
fraud and the nominee being fit,
every consideration of honor and
fairness requires that he be Loyalty
supported in the election by all the
party voters and by the candidates
whom he defeated in the primary.