The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-11
An Opportunity Lost.

The Democratic State Convention which
met at New Haven, Conn.,, yesterday, had
an opportunity to step to the front of what
is destined very shortly to be great pop
ular movement. A simple resolution such
as was suggested by Mr. Waller of New
London, and supported by Mr.. Wheeler
of Bridgeport, asserting the freedom of in
dividual political action as superior to the
behests of party and the tyranny of eau
Gus, would have had vastly more effect
than the whole string of platitudes with
which the Convention denounced the Ad-
ministration party, or in ambiguous phrase
lodged troublesome questions. Suppose
the Convention had passed a ringing reso-
luton condemning the misrule and malad-
ministration that in so many hundreds OF
cases all over the country are directly
traceable to the mischievous uses and in
huences Of the caucus; denouncing the
rings of robbers and the manifold forms
Of corruption intrenched behind it, and as
sorting the solemn and earnest duty of ey-
cry citizen to regulate his political action,
not by the blind and unquestioaing allegi-
ance which the politician says he owes his
party, but by the obligations of the free.
mans oath and conscientious sense of
what is due society and the State. Sup
pose the Convention had said plainly and
and in so many words; Our confidence
in the ticket we present and the plat
form of principles we offer is such that
I'VE hold no man to their support from
any sense Of party fealty or any notion OF
the binding force of party nominations.
I'VE offer them simply to the judgment
and conscience of each citizen to them
'alone we appeal" Suppose the Conven-
ton had broadly stated this: would the
ticket have lost vote, or the party an iota
of its strength?
No one who has taken any note OF the
events of the past two or three years, and
observed the growing conviction in the pub
lie mind that the caucus system is the tap
root of vast amount of decentralization
and corruption. can doubt that just such a
manly and straightforward utterance
would strengthen the party making.it more
than any position it could take upon the
hackneyed issues of the day. The Demo
Gratis of Connecticut might have done il
with a peculiar grace and with unusual
force, for it would have been in the direct
line of their own precedents of the past
two years In 1872 they advised and as
sisted in bolt from the regular Republi
can caucus nomination for United States
Senator, aud the strongest argument USED
to effect their purpose in defeating Haw
ley and electing Ferry was that brought
out in the manifesto signed by leading cit
liens of New Haven and many of the Pro
fazanrS If NaIa IN nv n
breaking down the caucus system. TIT
party in the Legislature acted as unit il
that matter. In the Legislature of 1877:
the party furnished still more notable il
lustration of the divine right of boiling
when a few clear-headed, steady meu
stood up against the threats and the
lash of party and self-styled party dealers
and opposed unfit caucus nominations fol-
judges consistently and persistently to the
end Of the session, preferring to leave the
vacancies on the Bench untitled rather
than consent to its degradation. 1t is duC
as much to the stubborn honesty and good
sense of those very men as to anythin.
else that the Convention met yesterda,
with the auspices so favorable for success
in the coming election. To have passed
the resolution referred to would have BEEF
a very proper Endorsement of such prece
dents, and the first crystallization in a par
ty platform of a purpose which is slowl
but very surely forming in the minds O
the people to put down this mischieyouS
tyranny of caucus
The signs of the times all point to sucl
a political revolution. The Farmers
Movement at the West, the Reform Move
ments in New York City and in Philadel
phia and the election of Gov. Booth i
California, the late deadlock in the low
Legislature, are all indications of its growt
and progress The people sicken of tn
widespread corruption and tire of tn
rule of the caucus The feeling creep
slowly into party conventions Mr.. jane
Freeman Clarke stood up in the Massachu
sets Republican Convention last Septem
ber and in the face of Mr. Benjamin T
Butler asserted the divine right of boiling
clearing at once by bold and manly utter
ance an atmosphere that was fairly fogg
with the bubbles and evasions of men VIII
were vainly trying to reconcile their sens
Of truth and duty with the miscalled obi
cations of party honor. The people ar
far in advance of the party leaders and o
those who consider themselves representa-
tives and opponents of public opinion il
this matter. They are getting ready ev
erywhere to assert their own individual
rights and give honest expression to thei
own preferences and opinions, no matte
what parties may declare or caucuses de
mand. The Connecticut Democrats had
frst-rate opportunity to set the example O
party enfranchlsing its own members an
releasing themf from a slavish tyranny. The
could have done it at no cost Of principl
and with no sacrifice of strength !; but the
did not dare. They have only left 1t fo
the people to break the bonds themselves
and that they will surely do.-Ne,o Tor
Tribune