Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-07-24
PARTIES AYD THEIR DLEFEk
$rENCE6.
fFron he St. J. seph Herald

<ENCE6. -
frro0 De st. j. seph HERALD :
Az . general thing the press speaki
the sentiments of the people. Through
the columns Of the country joarnals
especially the people find voice, and
the expression which is now coming
from all over Missouri cannot be mis-
taken. From almost every county
there comes . proclamation Of indie.
pendence. The people are tired Of
the party withes that have heretofore
bound them, and they are determined
to free themselves. The real fact u
that many have come to believe that
the differences between the two lead
ing political parties of the country are
more imaginary than real.
Parties in pOlitics-as in everything
else-may be reasonably supposed to
have originated in difference of Opin-
ION; but, in point of fact, party names
generally survive party differences,
taking the place of real distinctions,
and afforillng a rallying cry to the
UulIlluuCS Will WuOIA SONuu 20 AIOAO
potent than sense. When the tyranny
Of the name is fully established, it
comes to dominate over opinion. and
men come to think thus and thus not
because it, commends itself to their
intelligence, Or comes backed by SUI
perior arguments, but because the
name they bear necessitates such
opinions. Absurd and ridiculous as
this sounds it is scarcely an exaggera-
ton. Many things in our social and
religious creeds would be found equal
" absurd if we would carefully and
seriously consider them. Somebody
has said that the American people like
to have their washing and thinking
done for them out of the house. This
is a SANDER, because it makes an in
vidiOus distinction; strike out ''Ameri
can" and it is true enough. 1t is use.
less to complain. The average man is
the normal man; and his modest mod
icxm Of brains proves cOnclusively
that nature intended somebody else
to think for him. Still we admit that
there is some unaccOuntable instinct
or intuition that generally makes the
multitude right. Democrat" has been
the most fortunate name ever chosen
by party. It has not only survived
the political creed it was first used to
designate, but has been used like the
BARRIERS chair that fits all, and has
always proved tower Of strength to
the party appropriating it. 1t first
acquired its popularity by its intrinsic
coed meaning, and by being used as
the antithesis Ct Federalism, which |
was absurdly unpopular. The latter
was understood to mean Capitalization,
and Democracy to mean the diffusion |
Of power. Our history, since the birth |
of these names, has proved that the
old Fedcralists were not necessarily
fools and traitors. We have found
that a controlling brain is as necessary
In the body polite as in the human
body, and that this brain or will should
have in both a central position and
not reside in the extremities. We
have realized the need of a good deal
- r.~~A:~~l S>.1..nlien, hnth 6,,r;nn
md since the war; and the present in
dications are that we shall need good
deal Of it in the future. The Demo.
cratic party has always been largely
recruited by immigrants, to whom the
name has o peciliar fascinating mean
ing, having always been used by them
as the antithesis of monarchy, from
which many Of them are seeki.9 to I
escape. 1t is safe safe tcc say that three.
fourths of all foreigners seeking q
home on our shores have been absorb.
ed into the Democratic party, simply
by the charm of its name. Republi-
canism had originally very sharply
defined meaning; it meant opposition
to the spread Of slavery. It has only
filed its mission and more. Sagaci.
GUS statesmen saw that to shut up
slavery within certain limits, was to
destroy it. Like the scorpion girt by |
fire, it would die of it's own venom. !
And SO it proved. Now Republican
ism, as well as Democracy, has become
q word Of vague and uncertain mean.
ing:
We having living issues, but they
are SO curiously distributed that it is
difficult to say to what party name
they properly belong. The currency
question is the most engrossing and
most important at this moment, and
yet taking the recent vote in Congress
it will be seen that Republican and
Democrat are meaningless as applied |
to this question. This is also true, to
some extent, when applied to protec-
ton, retrenchment, and reform. It is
certainly very absurd complication;
and we really can't see how there can
be an honest and ineligible show of
hands, without the elevation of new
party names. And vet it ia no use to