The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-01-08
Political KumbIings-
From the Chicago Tvbunc


Two important political events have
occurred recently, which, when consid-
cred together, as they should be, are OF
great significance. The election OF GOV.
Booth. of California, to the United states
Senate, and the public withdrawal OF the
members of the Illinois Convention IN
this State from all existing party orgadnl-
cations, are fruit Of the same tree. Ihey
are the result of the Indepen lent move
ment in politics which may be seen ev-
ervwhere, but which the farmers have es-
poused with such heartiness as 10 make II
almost sure OF success in the agricultural
States. This new political activity has
been at work only a few months, but has
permanently DESTROYED the ascendancy Of
old party organizations in more than one
State, and prepared the way for ITS own
supremacy III the majority OF all the
States. The fall elections brought rev
citation 10 the Independent voters as well
as to the old trading politicians. ne
latter were so accustomed 70 their easy
maiorities, like the regular Republican
majority in Wisconsin, of 10000 to ~
600. that they felt secure. The former
had so long succumbed TO malorItIes Ike
the 1900 surplus i'll Iowa, that they
were almost hopeless. The event aston
shed both. Ga election day, the he
publican party 81 Wisconsin was so ut
terlv overthrJWH hy the new movement
that II remains stunned TINS hour. IN
Iowa, the Legislature Was carried by the
Farmers, who found that the formidable
80 0u0. 10 be conquered nee ded only TO
be attacked. county hv county had
the Anti Monopnli,ts known themselves
before the election. rs they did aiter@ard,
they would probably have carried the
late. They hed no State Committee,
spent no money in canvasslng the state
ticket, nor in printing ballots. The far,
mer's ballots We're printed and distributed
by county associations. 1t IS calculated
that through the mistakes made IN this
unorganized printing and circulation OF
tickets. not less than 20, 900 votes were
lost by the Farmers. They would have
carried the State had they been mar
shalled as their opponents were.
The facts Of the Minnesota election
are the same. The Farmers did not
know the secret Of their own strength,
and allowed themselves to be captured
like blind Sampson They elected
their State Treasurer, and were within a
couple of hundred votes of electing then
Secretary of State. Only ignorance OF
their own strength lost them the State.
The strength developed by the Independ-
ent movement III this State was not less
marked in the last election. The Far
mers took the field in sixty-six counties
and cast vote of 81, 1888 At this rate
If they had made a contest in all the
102 counties Of Illinois, they would have
had clear majority. over all others, OF
%, 900.
Hitherto, in California, it was always
the Central Pacific Railroad that was IL
power, no matter whether the Republican
OF Democratic party nominally carried
the day. But when the present Legisla
ture had been elected, a new power was
found to be in possession Of the State
Independent voters had resumed cOntro
of their own affairs in California, as they
are doing in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin
Minnesota and Kansas The election o
Senator Booth is, perhaps, the creates
victory the new party has achieved.
The results to which we have alluded
show that the future is in the Farmers
hands. If they continue where they left
off last time, they will carry Illinois,
Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, In
diana, Michigan and Wisconsin at the
next election. What has already been
accomplished in few months shows that
these articipations are not eXtravagant,
As for the Democratic party, all it has
TO do is to crawl out Of the way. The
Farmers mean to form no partnership
with the dead Like the early Repub-
can party, which wisely refused alliance
with either the Wings Democrats, they
have marked out course Of their own
and will follow it. All that is needed
for success is faithfulness to themselves
and to the utterances Of the Decatur
Convention.