The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-10-11
The Political Future

Many of the worlds reformerS have been
destrOVcrs us well as constructors, Jewelers. a,
well a. builders. Not all have been practical
thir kerS, and not Il few have been jewellers in
Utopia Men of deep thought and earnest pUr.
pose exercising large influence in giving iii.
rectOn to the progress of the race, have not
intrequent!y been one.idea philanthrOpiSts.
The work OF the builder the master mcchan.
ic, come after that OF the quarryman, who
shvers the rocks and gathers the fragments.
In our politics we can see lying around
loose, rs we say, a great many elements of
popular agitation. The pioneers are at work
and tie country is undergoing peculiar pro
cess The various associations of farmers
wOrkingmcn, revenue reformers, cheap trans.
portatiun leagues and kindred combinations,
though some of their objects, not entirely On.
rapport, are yet agreed upon several vital is.
sues which have called them into existence.
They all mean war upon graSplng mono
poles, a struggle against the gigantic power
of corruption, Il fight against unequal laws
and dishonest administration Of the govern.
mcnt 1t is no mere surface ebullitOn among
farmers, for they are not the only agtatOrS: i'll
is no contest against imaginary evils, for the
people have felt the burdens. Again, il is no |
fictitious sentiment created by the efforts of |
disappointed politicians, for the most remark. .
able phase of the agitation is its spOnancitv !
Tie views of the men who lead may be crit.
Cised they may be pronounced impractical
bic; they may be dcnomnatcd Utopian
drcamcr-, for so have all who ever in the |,
past of human history have led the vanguard |,
Of reform and progress been called by their Il
contemporaries; but it is clear to the most !,
obtusc observer that Sncers will not shame
the chief agitators for reform, since they are
prompted by conviction.
j. mot mil thpt tlO-a ,,.bn l,,l- t',rIA
immediate results from the agitation now 90 e
ing on in opposition to both existing parties
will be badly disappointed Noyes will be
elected in Ohio, Carpenter in Iowa, and we
can scarcely expect the defeat of the regular
republican ticket in Wisconsin; but there is
no real ground for disCouragcmcnt in this
Those who are becoming disguised with the
performances Of the parties they have trusted
are loatI TO join new organizations that may
prove just as corrupt just as reckless as the \
old ones. a stronger test of the prevalence c
OF dissatisfaction, and of the weakening of y
ancient party ties, is the disposition of the 81
people to neglect yoting-a determination h
which Is dangerous IN the extreme 70 the i,,,
liberties of the country. SCI
The fact is, the sentiment of the people i'm M'
TO the practices of both the re- en-
publican and democratic parties is yet 10 be mo-
,Ty,talliZci. We have no sangunc faith IN ri
he efficiency Of the farmers movement
iIonc, nor in other special reform movement, d,
done But we do see in these move
ncnt evidences Of popular unrest, the spirit ia
u resolution to break away from the cor ,
upton, biSmanagemcHt and IRRESPONSIBLE. -
y of the politicians Of the time, and the be-. Ola
inning OF an agitation that no disappoint. {Atl
lcnt can check and no partisan whipCack. w
NJ control There viii statesmen arise from an
4 ranks tIlp nGIrlp Win, ,..