Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-09-17
some ro,isacn, Cous,derasion-.

some Poiisicai Cous,dsration-.
No sane man disputes the right
of any citizen to attach himself to
any political movement which
pleases him best. There are no
cast-iron prescriptions in the
United States which compel man
to stand by recognized traditions.
The only things expedient for a
political convert to manifest are q
decent regard to propriefy and an
appearance of devotion to some
principle. These things assured or
presumed, the Democrat has per-
feet right to become Republican,
or vice versa. or either has the I'M
questioned privilege to become a
Workingman or Greenbacker. For
the sake of his own political stand
ing, q man should not belong to too
many parties in the space of a sim
gle twelvemonth, especially if a
diligent quest for office seems to
characterize him.
While the Democrat or Republi-
can has a perfect right to change
his political affiliations at his pleas.
ure, there are certain aspects Of
principle aud expediency which
should not be overlooked. Take
the cases of Workipgmen and
Greenbackers, for instance.
The Workingman, in the last
twenty years, has seen moneyed
aristocracy grow up in the United
States which, at least as far as re-
CARDS the splendors of living, rivals
any Of those which have taken Gen.
turtles to develop in Europe. He
has seen all this done under the
patronage and fostering care of the
Republican party. He has seen a
hundred agencies for accumulate
ing and concentrating wealth pro-
coed from that party. Corporations
have been multiplied with unprece.
denied rapidity. A snobbish spirit
accompanied the riches which rap
idly began to center in few hands.
Since the Republican party came
into power there are thousand
liveried servants where there was
one before its advent. And SO of
everything that indicates prodigal.
ity of display and the pride of life.
The Nottingham has been cogni-
zant that strong and rugged barriers
have grown up between himself
and his more fortunate fellow citl-
zens, although he has not seen them
rising with his naked eye. For the
spirit of caste, and the Haunting of
privileged wealth, which are now
too apparent in the United States
to-day, the Republican party is
really responsible, and the sane
Workingmen know it.
Next take the case of the Green
hacker. He is supposed to be hon.
estIy and even fanatically opposed
to the financial policy of The Re.
publican party. He thinks the ma
ticn is being garroted by lot of
selfish men, who wish to concen-
trate all the money of the country
into few hands. We will say,
right here, there is a good deal of
truth in this view of the matter, as
applied to the original financial
policy of The Republican party, al
though the policy Of resumption is
In direct antagonisna to the origin
al vicious exercise of power as
shown in expanding the currency.
But our inquiry is concerned not
with cur own views, but with those
of the Greenbacker. In his minds
eye the Republican party has out
ragged every right of the poor man
aud of nation suffering, he thinks,
almost to the point of syncope,
through lack of a sufficient circu.
lating medium.
Thus, then, we have two classes
who acknowledge themselves an
tagonized to the distinctive fea-
lures OF the Republican policy.
They certainly sympathize with
the great reforms and retrench-
ments inauguratcd by the Demo-
cratic party since it has become a
power in Congress. In California,
for instance, they undoubtedly
sympathize with the act passed by
. Democratic Congress restricting
Chinese immigration, and which
was vetoed by Republican Presi-
dent. AS between the Republicans
and Democrats, if these men are
sincere, they could not hesitate to
choose the latter. Yet, as far as
lies in their power, they are strain
Ing every nerve, not to do any
thing for themselves, for that is
simply ludicrous idea, but to get
up a diversion against the Democ
racy which will give the Republi-
can party a very good standing in
the Presidential election of next
year.
TIE Workingmen have shown
pretty we'll just what they can do.
Under circumstances unusually
favorable to them-with repre-.
sentative OF corporation monopoly
as the candidate of the Republic
oana nj with land paonopoIt at