The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-07-10
The Indenendent Party.

All experience demonstrates that 1t is
almost, If not quite, impossible to es-
tablish any political party, and give it
such strength as to warrant belief in its
final success, upon any single issue.
There are several reasons for this, the
most important one being the fact that
whenever any measure of public policy
becomes popular with the people, one
of the great political parties will adopt
and support it for the strength which it
can bring to the party. This adoption
of new planks by political parties is
generally attended with caution. since
it may happen that the party will lose
more than it can gain by taking the
step. The friends OF any particular
measure must show sufficient strength
to guarantee the party against loss from
the adoption of their views before they
can induce it to incorporate the favorite
doctrine into its creed. Even the old
Abolition party failed to secure strength
and success as n party; but public
sentiment gradually became opposed to
slavery and what was termed the
" Free Soil element of both parties
sloughed off from the conservative ele-
ments and organized the Republican
party, swallowing up the great bulk Of
the Wing party, not leaving enough of
it to make respectable show as sep
arate organization, and there remained,
practically, but two parties-the Wings
who could not unite with the Repub-
licans casting their fortunes with their
old political enemies, the Democrats.
The effort TO organize political party
on the temperance issue has been even
less successful than that of the Adolf
tionists. We might cite other cases,
but it is not necessary.
The recent attempt in Indiana and
Illinois, to organize a new political
party, based upon the interests of par
ticular classes of society-upon issues
which can better be fought for inside
than outside of existing parties-does
not promise to be an exception to the
general rule governing such organiza-
tions. In the first place, the special
friends of the measures underlying this
new organization were divided III opin-
ion respecting the policy of attempting
TO organize new party. In many in
stances, since the meeting OF the con-
ventIons in Indiana and Illinois, county
Changers have already repudiated this
movement, and doubtless many others
Will do so at an early day. Besides,
the nominees in some instances, are
quite Objectionable, personally, and
fail to give evidence of any reform
through the proposed new party. In
addition to this, the Republican con-
ventions held in those States the present
week have taken a position upon the
principal issues embraced in the Inde-
pendent platform which must meet with
the appreciation of the thoughtful and
prudent friends of reform. These facts
must all operate against the success of
the new organization, and present indi-
cations point clearly to very slim vote
for the Independent ticket next fall in
the States named. The Republican
party has shown that the road to reform
is through its organization, and those
who earnestly desire the success of the
leading principles advocated by the
Changers can best secure such result
through efforts inside of the Republican
party Toledo Blade.