Traditional conservatives have a strong sense of respect for authority. That is for institutions, religions, and nations. Conservatives also tended to be the founders, funders, and respecters of educational institutes.
Conservatives tend to argue from said authority (this Pope said, or the constitution, etc.), but of course, the institution is composed of individuals and thus living.
So tradition and conservative ideals are only respected if the present body of the institution respects those things, and liberals figured out if they take over an institution, conservatives will in good-faith continue supporting those institutions for a very long time - at least the present generation, or until respect for that institution or authority utterly dissipates.
For example, the post-Vatican II changes in the Catholic church were widely lamented by conservatives, but few actually took the step to admit their hierarchy had largely been cuckolded by modernism (which was explicitly stated as a heresy a mere 50 years earlier). So rather than remaining in obedience to tradition, they obeyed the present authority.
The same sort of thing applies to the Republican party in the US, the Boyscouts of America, and even the US government in many aspects - it certainly no longer functions primarily as a republic, but the goal was long ago changes to democracy. One could, of course, go on...
So what's the solution? Above all, obedience to God. That is, God is a living God, He did not die with tradition nor did He die with the present authority figures chose to rewrite His law and disobey Him. Therefore, ones allegiance and obedience is to be, primarily and always, obedience to God and His eternal laws.
Respect for authority is only contingent insofar as the authority in turn obeys God. No human or group of humans is immune from sin, they are always victim to it expect by God's grace.
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