The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-06-07
NEW PARTY MOVEMENT.

ruptions OF the party IN power nave lei many
thousands of its adhercnts all over the coun.
try to the conclusion that the great need of
the day is the organization of new party,
That the party in power will ever reform it.
self is so palpably an idle and tallacious cX.
pcctation, that no sensible man cntertains the
thought for Il moment. For ten years past
the party has professed to be striving in that
direction, but every political act of the Pres.
rcformatory resolves of its conventions and
year by year, day by day, the party sinks
deeper into the ccsspool of corruption.
There Is no hope, then, inside the party
Nor can these discontinued and disguised
radicals see any hope in attaching themselves
/ to the democratic party. That was partially
tried last fall, and was IA miserable failure
There is a pig hcaded element in the old dem
ocratic party which, though its opposite in
morals, is as impracticable and immoyablc as
the corruption element in the Grant party
| The old dcmocracy--thc "Bourbons" of the
party, as they have been callcd-thoroughly
a
of their principles, and seeing in every polit
zeal i'll of the day the direct fruits of IA depar-
ture from those principles that
they have been msreprescnted, maligncd and
beled purposey and continually, cannot be
reasoned or persuaded into anything that
even resembles such Il compromise or accom-
mediation as is necessary to attach to the
democratic party the honest and rapidly de
taching elements of the party in power, The
Jacksonian stamina and Cato-like integrity
and self consciousness of your old Jefferson
ian democrat can no more be brought to
mngle with the bcslimed elements that have
been dragged for half IA score of years through
the filth of modern republicism, however now
repentant than the pure Virgin can find CON
gcniality in the society of the reformed Mag
dalcn.
So the cry is, we must have a new party
That the material for it is abundant, is mani
fest enough. Every thinking man knows that
Aree,tourthS of the voters of this country to-
day are heartily disguised with the present
political regime, and are ready to join any
movement that promises substantial reform.
The great problem is how to crystalize these
elements into one solid phalanX.
For several years past there has been grow.
ing up in different parts of the country quite !
an organization under the name of the Labor |
Union Party With few solid principles at
its base, it has yet overloaded itself with side
shoots and branches, and been subjected TO
such wretched leadership and training that
it has made very little Roadway, Lately ex-
Senator Pool, of North Carolina,-a discon.
tented and disguised radical-has undertaken
to give this party under a new organization
and with new scope and aims, such a broad
basis as he conceived was needful to bring to
its support all the reformatory and better ele-
ments of the country. In this movement it
is said he is seconded by Speaker Blaine,
Senator Lewis of Va, Senator Spencer of Ala,
Negley of Pa, and others. The movement
contemplates an absorption not only of the
Labor Union element, but of the nti-monopo-
lists of the West, and the entire free trade ele-
ment of the old democratic party The plan
is to begin with series of monster mass
1T which the utmost liberty of eX-
preston will be permitted; a sort of general
agitation, like that of Golden and Bright,
which resulted in the repeal Of the corn-laws
in England. and the liberation of that coun-
try from the tariff incubus; and after, or in
-he course of this free discussion and agita-
ion, such platform or code of principles
IAN be eliminated as will suffice for the need
'ul conglomcration of the scattered elements
into one round, concrete whole.
There is one significant fact to be added,
however, in connection with this and all other
movements and lamentations of popular sen.
iment that are taking place, and that is, how.
ever much they may profess to contemn the
'cffete old democratic party" they are friend.
Y to democratic principles, and hostile to the
'epublican party; they aim at the overthrow
If the dominant party, and will have to de-
)end at last, on the support of the democrats.
In short, they are attempting to do in a large
measure, the task of the democratic party.
The fact shows that democratic principles do
not share the present humiliation of the demo-
cratic name, and that these principles are
at no distant day--if not in the name of the
democracy, then in the name OF some other
power that will perform its task equally well.