New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-02
THE NEW PARTY BUGABOO.

THE NEW PARTY BUGABOO
II is a somewhat significant comment upon
the present condition of politics aud parties,
that whenever any number of gentlemen above
three, who are known to agree upon a single
political question, happen to meet together
there il a suspicion at once that new party
is about to be started. The gentlemen VINO
are just now occupied with holding the offices,
drawing the salaries, pursuing the perquisltes'
and wrestling with mOieties, and the news
paper organs which keep in countenance the
best civil service on the planet, are quick 10
discover such meetings, and not by any means
slow to interpret them.
The meeting of three or four journalists III
Boston from different parts OF the country, on
the occasion of the delivery of the Sumner
eulogy by Senator Schurz, started such re-
port at once, and a score or less of reporters
were put upon their track as soon as they
reached Boston, to get the first news OF the
birth of the new party and the name OF IT,
1t was known that they were Independent Ill
poltics, holding no allegiance to any political
organization. but commencing what they be-
lieyed to be right and condemning what they
believed to be wrong in either or both
the old parties and it was known
that the journals they conducted had acted
together in support of the candidates ana
platform presented at Cincinnati Ill 1872. Ana
so when they met the other day in Boston,
the ouid nuDcs said at once, Here, now, is
"new party to be organized let US watch
"it.n They seem to have been disappointed.
The gentlemen met socially, probably dis
cussed the politics of the country among
other topics, and separated. They did not
organize a party, adopt platform, call
convention, or issue proclamation. Inc
gentlemen who make an indlilercntly honest
living by politics may not be able to under
stand how they could resist the temptation to
do something in that line, since the oppOr-
tunity is so inviting but they did resist IT,
as it seems, and there are no more partieS W
day than before they met.
II il easy to understand why such sus-
picons should be rife upon so slight Droyoca-
ton. 1t is solemn fact that there is 10
party in the county to-day which can hon
estly enuncate principle of political action
upon which it can appeal to its own record or
to the recorded votes OF its leaders and adj
berents. Is the question the Currency Tho
line that separates intiauonIstS and resump-
tionists zigzags through both parties with IL
crookedness unparalleled. Is it Reform IN the
Civil ServiceY Both parties protest That they
favor reform, and the one that is faisost to
its professions is only the one that happens
to have power and opportunity. Is
it the Tariff You could never run
a party line Oh that issue, even when it
seemed the most conspicuous one III politics,
and you can do ii now less than ever. Is 1t
any Of the questions rising oct of Reconstrnc-
toni You may come nearer q party division
on these than any other but it is notorious
that the Administration party In Congress are
very far from being at one upon any OF them.
Indeed, upon the only question on which it
might be supposed the party of the Admin
istration would certainly be harmonious, 10
wit, the support of the Administration itself,
recent events have shown that there are wide
differences One thing only keeps the party
in power tOgethcr-they are in. One thing
only keeps the party out OF power together
they are out.
This is the political situation. 90 The cOhe-
sive power of public plundcr" is the only
common ground on which the Administration
party stands the desire to get at the plum
der is the only bond that holds together the
great organization that opposes it. 1t is not
strange that the managing men, the " leading
statesmen Of both parties, should be sus-
picious of any meeting of two or three To-
gether who have political convictions and are
not bound by party allegiance. They know
that there ought to be party of principle
in tho country, and that at present there Is
none that both the old organizations are run
ming on their momentum-their names and
their past. They know the honest masses arc
tired of their everlasting shams and humbugs,
and they suspect in every rustling breeze the
beginning of stampede. No doubt they ex-
perience feeling of relief at learning that
the gentlemen who met in Boston the other
day did not set up q standard for the disaf-
fected to fly to. There is time enough yet,
however, for the people themselves to take
the matter in hand.
TIE DEBT STATEMENT.
Tho official atatement of the Public Debt for