Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-09-30
The Independent Voter.

nave grown impatient III various aclS
Of the administration and Of the
recognized party leaders, have insisted
on the need Of reform, and have dc
clarcd their intention Of boiling or
taking other serious action against or
out Of the party il they do not get
reform i'll it. TO these persons most
tender appeals arc every day made
by the Democracy. The official calls
to attend Democratic primary meet
ings are extended TO call opposed to
the existing administrations, Sin
dependent Of past affiliations" and
great astonishmcnt is sometimes cx-
pressed that independent" >otcrs,
whether Republicans now or not, do
not come right out for "Tildcn and
reform" The author Of This article
has no authority to speak for any one
but Ii imsclf, still less to dictate to
any man OF body Of men; but having
often found a patient hearing and
substantial agreement when complain
ing Of Republican shortcomings, he
feels that hc is likely to know the
views Of mere than one independent
voter, and therefore desire to set.
forth plainly the reasons whicl, max g
it impossible for him to Join the
Democratic army, casons coming
from his very independence.
IiiSt. The independent voter finds
the discipline or,hc Republican party
Objectionable. lie finds it Mt once
TOO strict and too lax. lie has been
called upon to swallow the measures
Of the administration whole; to vote:
without ilincling or scratching, every
regularly nominated ticket; aud to
refuse to support nothing which IS
advanced hy recognized party organs.
On the other hand, he finds great
rclu.trncc to have platforms made
decisive on new questions; he is told
he must not take so strong Il stand
on srmc points rs TO ALLEVIATE old
Il lies, and that we must not be too
$qnramiSh about who are nominees
provided they are stunch for the
party.
Ills alternate Strictnc<: an,l laxitv
-laAitv before nominating, strclncss
after it-hc rcscnts. But will the
Democratic party relieve him ? Was
,l.crc ever party that accepted so
unhcSitnt ng'y, endorsed 50 freely all
tha, its acknowledged leaders say
and 90, as the Democratic party since
lis reorganization against John
Quincy Adams? For fifty years it
has drawn the party rcins with Ro-
man tightncss, frowncd at anything
that approached boiling, and carried
the caucus system to its highest per-
icction. Vet how lax, how easy, how
ready to accept new allies how
gracious in finding room on front
seats for Webster men, Chase men,
Greeley mcn,-any men that would
call themselves Democrats aud accept
the party badge! Is an independent
voter likely to find this party less Il
l,"rW than the Republican?
'ere""'A. III order to acquire all
help IL can, the independent voter
charges the Republican party with
being undecided, in act if not in
speech, on some vital questions, and
especially the questions Of tie debt
and the currency. lie objects that
The Republican party have bee
afraid Of so losing some votes that
they have given up the policy ofpay-
mcnt by contraction; that they have
delayed the date Of resumption too
long; that they have rcsorted to var
ious financial nostrums TO disguise The
real necessity Of hard moncy,-all to
conciliatc and retain III the party
certain inllationists. Is an indcpend-
cnt voter likely TO get relief on this
point among The Democrats Will
contraction be resumed? NYi.l re-
sumption be FASTENED +? Will innu.
tlonists be rcbukcd? Will any I'M
lcsitating, unmistakablc. decisive