The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-07-30
From the Chicago Tribune.
The Farmers in Politics.

The Farmers in Politics,
The sentiment Of the Changers of Iowa,
and, we think, 10 n considerable extent IN
this State is that when they 60 into poll
tics il shall be- on an independent base of
operations, disentangled from all former
alliances. Nevertheless, number of per
sons office-holders and ex-Ofhee- holders,
are affiliating with the Farmers Movement
with the express purpose of steering II
into the picket lines of the Republican
party The arguments against the iorma
ton of the Autobiography Party, which Is
apparently under full Roadway in Iowa and
making decided progress in other Western
States, may be summed up under the two
following heads /. The Republican par
~ is ready to assume the issues which
the farmers demand rs "A part OF the pub
lie policy Of the future and having its or
ganizatiou perfected, is in a better condl
ton 10 carry them out successfully than
any new party would be: . That the
organization of new Anti Monopoly par
Is would give certain advantages to men
who had formerly belonged to the Demo
cratic party.
We will assume it 10 be true that the
Republican party will promise 10 carry out
the wishes Of the farmers, SO far as il can
ascertain them The first obstacle en-
countercd will he this; A party cannot
accomplish a work which il was not organ
lied b accomplish, that is, it there be
any considerable resistance. The Repub-
hran party was organized TO deal with
slavery This il has done. and done effect
ually II was not organized 10 deal with
any other wrong or abuse, and il cannotdo
so effectually, because the promoters Of
tthesc wrongs and abuses belong TO the
party, and have Just as many rights in it
as ANYBODY else has But, if the party
should identify itself with the farmers in
the national question, will this fulfill the
purpose expressed under the term Anti
Monopoly l. there no other form of
monopoly from which the farmers, in com
mon with the other people Of this country
are suffering Is the railroad abuse the
only abuse Of which the farmers complain
The Republican party will remain virtual
Is what IL is now, with the single exception
that il will add TO its party platforms a
plank denouncing railroads in general
terms. aud even this plank is likely 70 be
treated in much the same manner As that
which favored Civil-Service Reform and
honest Administration. The same men
would still be in control of party move
mcnts and the public places Ii would
still be the party that provided the cuor
mou, land grants which constituted the
very corner stone on which the
principal railroad abuses Of the day have
been erected. The same party that en-
gjueered the Credit Mobier frauds would
ho interested with the defeat of that very
species of railroad cStortiou Of which il
first set the most rlaring example Public
affair would remain under the control ut
the same men who are responsible for the
SuIary.grabs, Fort Smelling swindcs, Union
Pacific transactions. town and county bond
subsidies, high tariff eNtortiau,, aud the
various othes species of corruption which
have been developed within the past four
years under the wing OF the Republican
party Admitting, then, that party or.
gunIzati1u, So thoroughly identified with
kuuvery, IN spite of the general honesty
and good intentions of the mass Of it,
members would successfully carry out the
wishes of the farmers ia regard to railroad
abuses and this must strike every impair
ull man rs exceedingly improbable can
the farmers hope 10 escape other abuses
nt their hands that require a. be- dealt
with quite 20, summarily as railroad abuses ,
The allegation that a new Anti lououu-
men who had formerly been Democrats j.
-o irrelevant, puerile, and ridiculous that
% scarcely merits q serious answer In tn.
first place, it Is not necessarily true The
successful formation Of a new party ueccs
-ariy includes recruiting among the rank.
ut all existing parties The farmers who
are opposed 70 monopoly are certainly not
confined tu Democratic farmers. else they
would be an object Of terror to the politi
clans. The probability is thatmost Of them
are Republicans and, it they go into new
party. 10 vii. be because the party with
which they have been acting is IN part re
spunsiblc for their present grievances
The formation of the Republican party did
not turn exclusively IN the advantage OF
the W hug party or American party. both
of which il may be said to have .upulunt
ed. IL secured the cooperation Of the
better class of Democrats. The farmers
OF the Northwest have been more general
ly Republicans than Democrats. and il
they form an Anti Monopoly PARTY. il j.,
more likely ~ offer its advantages In men
who had formerly been Republicans than
tu those who had formerly been Demo.
rrat,. But suppose the new party ,hal.
offer facilities to men who have heretofore
been Democrats, where is the harm 10 the
purposes ct the new movement An Anti
Monopoly Party viii start our with definite
objects IN view Fit shall be- successful
m electIug it, men, they will not dare.
whether they have formerly been Demo.
rrat- or Republicans, to break faith with
the men or principles they shall represent
\ distinct aud separate political organi2a.
tlou would be opposed 10 the Democratic
party a. much a. to the Republican party.
and al. those who should act with It would
bee obliged 10 break of from tacir former
political attachments. lust a. those who
juiucd the Republican party broke oif from
the Democratic Wing or American par
tics.
II is thus obyiou, that the reasoning
with which Republican politicians oppose
the formation of an Anti Monopoly Party j.,
utterly iallacious IL is O. mere make
shift The true motiye'that prompts it Is
desire 10 keep the Democratic party
alive as a permanent bug-a.hoo No re-.
form IL possible while these two old parties
rumber the ground The Democratic par
ty has no other cause of being than Ia keep
the Republican party IN bower, and the
Republican party has mo- other cause OF be
ing than 10 keep the Democratic party out
Of power