Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-12-04
The Necessity OF Political Parties
The Independent Newspaper.


The Independent Newspaper.
JOSEPH MEDrLI, who lately resumed the
chief editorial control Of the Chicago Tribune,
which, under his control in former years had |
taken rank as the leading paper Of the
Northwest, in his "salutatory" gave his
reasons for abandoning the independent
platform on which that paper had been con-
Quoted for several years past--by HORACE
WHITE, under whose control il had wander
ed after strange gods until it had lost Its
standing and the confidence of the people
from which we make the following peril
nent selections
"No one mans individuality is so power
full that it can be opposed successfully to the
combined individuality of thousands. The
Frenchman who is neither Bonapartist,
Monarchist or Republican the English
man who Is neither Liberal nor Conserva-
tive; the German who is neither for nor
against Bismarck or the Ultramontanes;
the Spaniard who is neither Republican nor
Carlist the American who Is neither Re-
publican nor Democrat, is a zero in the po-
litical action of his country. II is always
possible, of course, to imagine state poll
but it is not possible to carry 1t into effect
until powerful party is educated up to it
and advocate it. Parties will always be
more or less corrupt. They are not divine
institutions. But the duty of citizen to-
ward a party into which corruption has
crept is not to leave it for light reasons, but
remain and endeavor to purify it, The po-
| litical Archimedes may move the state to q
! higher plane of life, but he needs lever to
move it with, and that leveris party. There
is no other. All this is true OF parties ev-
rywhere. 1t is true of parties in this coun-
try. The Republican and Democratic par
ties still live, and the contest in this coun-
try must be between them"
r1r. mEDILL says: - '---' NIL -~.--.,~..~-
A political newspaper, to be of service
to the public, must give one party or the
other the preference, but it is not essential
to the prosperity or the influence of n par-
ty paper, that it should wilfully misrepre-
sent its opponents and behold nothing but
evil and depravity in all their actions. Can
dor and fairness in the treatment of polit-
ical opponents, will detract nothing from
the influence OF a paper, nor will it iniure
the prospects of its own party.
The government of the nation must be
conducted through the instrumcntality of
pdItlSs. KNOW OF no other agency which
has succeeded in free countries. A party is
simply voluntary organization of citizens
united to carry into effect certain principles
AMI purposes. The party in the majority
must assume the responsibility of govern
ment. 1t must employ and entrust individ-
uals to collect and disbuse taxes to per
torm executive AMI police duties for the
protection OF persons and property ....... =. and
these individuals will often prove careless.
inefficient or corrupt but party whose
ann and purpose is good and patriotic
should not be condemned and thrown out of
power on account of the defective work or
misconduct of few of its employees.
Such being the case in regard to the neces-
sitty and machinery of parties in free coun
tries, the press, to be useful cannot avoid
being partisan. Ii an editor undertakes
the task of supporting both. sides. his nosi-
tion Is equivalent to a double affirmative
which amounts to negative. If he habit
ually censures and condemns both, he is
soon regarded as a common scold. To be
entirely bipartisan leaves him in the condi-
tion of a cypher"