The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-05-02
PARTY NAMES.
From the Indianapolis Sun.
" hat IS in o name?"-SHAKHsPgARg,

PARTY NAMES.
From the Indianapolis Sun.
s'What's in q name?"-SHAKEspEARg
name?-if the party had a voice.
What mortal would be bug by choice?"-
HOOP.
To the Editor OF the Sun:
SIR:-When men, engaged in the
promotion of great and important re-
forms. stopto bubble over the name
by which reformatOry organization
shall be known, it seems to me they
have not gotten entirely free from the
''Old Adam of party spirit.
Whatever may be true of Darwin s
theory of evolution, in animal life, it
is certainly true of the development
Of political parties. On this point the
history of the anti-slavery contest is
very instructive. In 1910 it was the
Liberty party; in 1850 the Free Soil
party; in 1850 the Republican party.
The soul, the life, the animating
spirit of all these parties was the same,
the anti slavery sentiment. Even the
poor old Know Nothing movement,
which was originally designed as a
foil to the anti.slavery cause, was
seized upon by the AbolitiOnists in
New Hampshire, and made to do duty
in the anti-slavery cause.
If a thirst for public plumber and
official station is the animating spirit
of a party, it makes no difference to
the great mass of taxpayers whether
the party is known as Democrat or
Republican. 1t is the aim, the design,
the intended action of a party that
gives it significance, not the name.
When the old National Republican
party changed it's name to Wing, and
:he old Democratic Republican party
dropped the "Republican.' and as
sumed the cognomen, Democrat, nei.
Their party gained anything by the
change; because they were not accom-
panied by any change Of principles.
The Wing party, being in the mi
nority tried hard to increase it's ranks
by making overtures to the anti
slavery sentiment; and in some places
they succeeded for time, just as the
Democrats have been able, in some
places, to win victories are no bene-
tit to the Democrats in the long run,
although they are positive injuries to
the Greenback cause; because, the
old party leaders see that they can
still secure the votes of currency re-
formers, and the votes are all they
need to give them partisan Suprem-
acv.
AS the present Republican party is
only an evolution. brought forth
from other parties; so our National
Greenback partyiS but the outgrowth
Of prior parties. In 1870 it was the
Labor Reform party; in 1875 the
Independent Greenback party; in
1878 the National Greenback party;
or, in short the National party. There
is disposition in certain quarters to
find fault with the name National,
as applied to our reformatory party.
The only question of any Importance
IS this: Is the National party true to
our refOrmatory principles If so,
what have we to differ about If not,
the very men who called the Toledo
convention will be the first to repu-
date or ssrangle it. AS have said,
names are nothing; principles every
thing. l cannot believe the men
composing that convention were either
knaves or fools; yet there might have
been and probably was as many as
zone among them who had not on
'tne wedding garment.
If this National party is making
use of its organization to promote
what has been known rs '.Greenback
principles, why should old Green.
hackers" find fault with the name!
The disciples. at certain time,
found man casting out devils in the
name of Christ and forbade him, be.
cause he did not follow them. But the
great Master said, Forbid him not:
for he that Is not against us is for
u.s."
The Toledo convention demanded
the coinage of silver on the same
basis as gold; the abolition of nation
nj banks; that money. both metal and
paper. should be used by the govern.
ment. and be a full legal tender: and
that all public debts should be dis.
charged strictly according to the laws
under which they were contracted.
The anti-slavery contest brought
out enthusiasts. They are the natural
outgrowth of great wrongs. There
was :. ). Foster and Abbey Kelley
in n. H.. John Brown in Kansas. SO
we must expect enthusiastic men in
this reform. men whose souls are all
on fire with indignation. We need
such men to drive the ploughshare
of reform through stupid ignorance
and stubborn prejudice. and prepare
the soil for the seed of the sower.
:. FLINT.
LYME CENTER. n. H., March 50. rs.
WAR MONEY.