The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-05-17
POLITICAL PARTIES.

POLITICAL PARTIES.
The Independent movement of
SCuuRZ, BRYANT and others was most
probably designed to do good, and acting
as break on the two great political or
carnations OF this country, may accom-
plish something, but in no other possible
sense.
The fight is to be between the Demo
cratic and Republican parties, and all
movements outside OF these orsaniza,
tions will not amount to baubes. The
public is often treated TO ESSAYS dlsclaim
ing against parties, party spirit, partisan
ship, and all that sort OF talk, as II par
ties in our Republican government were
an evil TO be deplored rather than good
and of late years quite number
Of newspapers have been organ.
lied as "lndependent" to distn-
guish them from Democratic or Re-
publican, the popular designations of the
two great political parties OF the country
We do not wish 10 dispsrage any indie
pendent journal, and while it may be
said that the. institution of such news.
papers has in many cases proved ben
eficia measure; yet not only experience,
but plain reason teaches us that political
parties under our form OF free govern
ment are not only an advantage, but are
absolutely essential to its maintenance.
Neutral political Journalism is Il down.
right impossibility. \ journal to be
neutral cannot be political, and the sue
cessful independent journals OF the
country derive their Political power, not
from neutrality, but from the manner in
which they expose or condemn
great political measures, and the partcu-
lar animus under which they act, usually
shows quite Enthusiastically which political
party for the time being is most favored
by their efforts. OF course this does not
debar them from condemnlng the indi-
vidual acts and public suggestions of
politicians of both parties; nor on the
other hand does it dispense with the
necessity for party newspapers, which
may be and should be independent enough
to strive always for what appears to be
right. We repeat that political parties
are necessity in our form of govern
ment, and never has this fact been more
forcibly exemplitied than in the last ten
years. Those who will take the time to
reflect upon the gigantic system
Of public plundering, swindling, lying,
perjury and general decentralization
among ourPublic men in political power
and who control the Republican organl-
cation, must see that nothing but the
great Conservative power cxertcd
through an organized substantial politi-
cal organization could have saved the
American government from utter pros
tituuon. Independent journalism would
have been useless and powerless TO orig
mate and maintain the needed aggressive
attacks which were Indispensable in or
der that dishonesty and tyranny should
have been ferreted out. The preserved
organization OF the Democratic party
alone has stayed the onward course 10.
destruction upon which the Republican
administration la, been swiftly marching
But for this great Democratic bulwark
independent journalism could have met
with no public favor, and the country
would have gone to the dogs long ago
Neutrality will never do, put only by
bold and vigorous advocacy of such
measures and me, as are likely to help
the country can good be accomplished.
1t is alone through the efforts of a
powerful! opposing party mat the uellllc
tions OF that party in power Is TO be ex-
posed and corrected, and upon this de-
ponds the safety of the Republic.
Whatever evils there may be con.
nected with the political parties-and
they are many-there are more and
greater evils to which the body polite is
subject, hat can only be reached through
the efficient means ofoppositlon ofpoliticsl
organizations. Independent efforts alone
are utterly worthless, and it Is useless
worse than folly, to talk about disband-
ing partie.
AMONG the prominent men of this