New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-04
ARoET THE W. 0FLE

We find in one or two Of the newspapers
report of meeting alleged 10 have been he'd
by club of persons calling themselves IN
Independent Republican Central Committee"
The place Of tins mOmontOus gathering is not
specified, nor is mankind informed how many
independent committeeman attended it but
series of resolutions prepared by these gentle
men, whoever they were is furnished to the
press and we learn from them what the
Independent Central Republicans demand of
the people of the United States in the coming
Presidential election. IL would take TOO long
to make a complete inventory of the impcra-
tive requirements mentioned in the resolutions;
but one is that the candidacy of General
Grant shall be- abandoned forthwith, and
another that Senator Blaine shall b. dropped.
On these points the Independent Central Re-
publican Committee has made mp its mind.
This committee is the concern irreverently
described as the Young Scratchers' party. IL
now consists, so far as the outside world
knows. of Mr.. II. r. Bowker, char
man, and Mr.. +. w. Whtridge, secretary but
these two have bounce enough for n regiment.
We do not know who 4kr. Whtridge is; Mr..
Bowker We have some acquaintance with. He
was, until recently, employed by The TRIBUNE
TO collect publishers announcements, and sim
liar fragments of news; and il this respectable
occupation he earned $40 week, until we
dispensed with his services because we
could get the work better done for
less money. We understood this to be
Mr.. Bowker's principal occupation until
he went into craftsmanship. We will not COM
pare his sudden assumption of the character
of Public Man to the appearance of Mr..
Simon TappcrtIt as captain of the London APP
prentices and Dictator of the British Empire,
for Mr.. Bowkcr is an amiable and well-mean-
ing gentleman whose greatest trouble Is that
his intellectual development was arrested Mt
the Grown Boy stage. This accounts for his
being 80 profoundly impressed with the solem-
nifty of existence, and so profoundly Ignorant
of his own place in 1t.
As certain journals which ought to know
better allow themselves to be deluded into
nursing Mr.. Bowker, it seems proper to say
even at the risk OF hurting his feelings. exactly
who and what he ia. Nothing more grOtesque
than his occasional pronunciamentoes rs
10 what men and what measures he
will or will not support has been heard of
IN American politics since General Daniel
Pratt last nominated himself for the Pres-
dency. Nobody wants to know what he will
support-except. possibly, Mr.. Whitridge.
He represents nobody he influences nobody,
he speaks for nobody. and, if we understand
his political principles, he votes for nobody.
There is n body of independent Republicans,
led by Mr.. George William Curtis, and
embracing many accomplished and esti-
mable citizens, with large following from
the best young men In the city, who
count Tor much i'll our politics, and
whose opinions we must always receive
with respect even though we cannot always
share them. They understand something of
the relations of means to ends they are
capable of doing something in politics be-
cause they know how and they 60 not under
tike to conduct Il campaign by the blow
ing of rams horns. But tie Bowker party Is
altogether a different thing. At the last elec-
ton his Young Scratchers paraded around with
circulars and blank ballots, making all the
racket they could, and anticipating cata-
cysm as the very least result of their
efforts; and when the returns came in 1t
was impossible to discover that they had in
nuenced a single vote!
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A TIRJFF COMJTGSJDN