Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-11-10

INpRPENpENcE IN P0LIrICs
Nov that the elections are over, their
fruits gsrnsrsd. the chosen happy. the
dsfsstsd doubtless not inconsolsbls, and
the country oncs more at rest, II may b
proper to discuss . fsv prominent points
brought out BY the CAMPAIGN. In 20
doing let Us hope that all bittsrnsss,
personal or otherwise. s~ngsndered by
the late conssss has already passed into
the oblivion Of other dead and buried
differences During . heated political
strugsls-sspscially in one involving so
little Of general principles and % much
Of purely personal eontoysry-nuch
has been said upon all hides both need
less and perhaps with a percentage Of
injustice. Now that the campaign 10
ever. We may hope that this will disap-
pear. and that politicians as well a.
journalists win devote themselves TO a
discussion Of the causes which have led
10 the strange results Of the late cleo
ten.
The Independents lay claim TO much
credit for the detsst Of the Republican
party in the East. II, in the use Of the
word Independent. 1t is intended to
include all persona Who had become dis
satisfied with The action OF the Admin
istration. the claim 10 just and proper.
But IL il be intended TO limit the appli-
lcAisn Of the word only to those Who
have not only left the Republican party.
but have allied themselves with another
and distinctive organization. the claim
IL unfounded.
The Independent party, a. such. has
no apprsciabls constituency either here
or elsewhere. 1t is impossible for such
. party to exist. because fealty to pelit-
ical organization is denied. II an cleo
tor cannot DO independent as q Rspubli-
can or a q Democrat. nsither can be 50
a. q member Of any other party organi-
ration. and II party allegiance. to q GER
tain degree, DO necessary to the success
Of existing organizations. so also. and
With even greater requirement is it in
dispsnsable for the formation Of . new
party. fgl HTou rn
Independence in politics Is commend
able where it can Be exercised without
impsriling the existence or success OF
principles moro vital than are the
evils or errors IL seeks TO correct.
True independence Is simply the s1er-
else Of criticism upon men or princi-
Piles. put forth by organizations Of men,
for Office. or enactment into local. State.
or National legislation or into funda-
mental law. This right Of criticism BE-
longs Of night to every ~elector. OF what
svsr political creed. and is and should
Be exercised BY every honest man when
svsr il becomes his duty to vote at an
elsstion. And this power Of criticism
should DO used even to the extent of OPP
posing nominees or principles OF any
and all political parties.
But right hsro it seems to US the
sphere Of Political independence ceases.
In other words, when "a slector has eI-
sreissd his right Of criticism Of candi-
datss. md principles, his duty as an
indspsndsnt slsctor 10 done. II our
premise DO true. that true Independence
In politics 10 primarily and necessarily
the exercise Of honest judgment, unbi-
ased BY partisan lssnings, and unwsrpsd
By prejudice or bigotry. by each individ-
uai ~slsctor. IL fellows that any attempted
orRanization Of such electors impingss
upon and intsrfsrss with the exercise OF
the very principle assumed to bs the
basis Of the organization. In short. in
eur visv. IL Is impossible to form = party
whose cardinal or fundamental prinsi-
pie Is criticism either OF men or Princi-
Pies. Criticism Of principles and sandi-
datss Is essential to the purity OF psli-
tics, but . party founded upon such a
basis can nsvsr hold power. simply be-
cause all criticism must be directed
against the party In power. and the mo-
msnt . party, holding power as a parry
prssumes TO c~riticiss its own actions,
hat moment 1t falls in pieces. And IL
its individual members c~riticiss its party
acts they do NJ mere than they could do
whom acting with existing organizations.
We have said that Independence in
politics il nothing more nor less than
the exercise Of the inalisnabls right OF
criticism; and that Of necessity such
eritisism must be directed mainly against
the party in power. This is apparent
from the fact that only to the party in
power can responsibility for public acts
be attributed. The opposition, or ''outs"
are not held responsible for any evils Of
an existing government, although their
votes may have aided to produce the
evils complained Of. As natural So
quence. the effect Of Independence in
politics has been and always will Be to
weaken the party in power. No party
can exist for many years without becom-
ing responsible fer more or less vicious
legislation. and being loaded down with
more or less corrupt men. The natural
tendency Of independence is to critieise
and finally to repudists such legislation
and such leadership. The inevitable
result is to enfesbls and defeat the ruling
or responsible party.
This has been done by the late cleo
tionsa al the East. 1t was not the Dem
ocrstic which defeated the Republican
party a the East. although the result In |