Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-04-28

gani2atiOns by professional politicians
for their own selfish objects, while they
are ostensibly opposed to each other.
These managers never fail to combine
when the stake is large enough for Il
division of the spoils. Their methods
for maintaining local supremacy are
exactly alike, and are modelled after
those of Tweed, who was the master
of this modern school of politics.
This year has opened most DISASTROUS
| ly for the rings. The great cities east
and west, Democratic and Republican,
have by Il common impulse thrown
down the rule of venal tyranny.
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati,
st. Louis, Chicago, Quincy, Springfield,
Kansas City, Bloomington, and other
large towns in different states have
smashed the machine, without regard
to party.
This is one of the hcalthiest signs of
the times, and it shows pretty clearly
that the people are breaking away from
corrupt leaders, and are asserting their
independence of regular nominations.
Republican cities with great maiorities
have elected Democratic mayors and
other officers, and Democratic cities
have returned the compliment by elect
ing Republican mayors.
The question of good and honest
government has risen above party in all
these striking examples, and the tax
payers have broken the bondage to
which they have too long submitted,
from mistaken desire to preserve
harmony in their respective organi2a-
tions. In the failure to resist this
despotsm they encouraged corruption,
and strengthened the hands of the ring
thieves at immense loss in money and
in morals.
The new administration is little
more than month old, and the lead
ers are already engaged in fierce quar-
rel for the offices, which threatens to
teart party in pieces. Indeed, the
Republican organization as now led has
no element of cohesion but public
plunder. And the struggle Of hostile
factions, respectively led by Conkling
and Blaine, to grab and to appropriate
the spols for the special benefit of
each is likely to finish the career of
party which, after abandoning all its
early principles, has become the slave
OF corporations, Of rings, and of jObbcrs.
If the Democratic leaders had cXhib-
tied the least wisdom after obtaining
control of congress, and had shown
themselves worthy of the confidence
which the country showed Il disposition
to bestow in the tidal wave of 1874, a
great opportunity would now be within
their reach. But they failed to improve
Il former opening, and frittCrcd away
chances that almost offered themselves
for acceptance.
Two successive presidential elections
have been lost--one by treachery, and
one by incapacity to understand the
popular will. A party which commits
such criminal blunders, no matter
what its ancient history may have been,
or however grand its achievements
under statesmen Of the past, can hard
ly hope to win back forfeited trust.
The young men who look forward to
distinction, and who condemn the
practices of the Republican party, can
find little attraction on the other side,
when, after hard struggle and great
majority of the people to crown success,
they saw the victory surrendered to
barefaced fraud.
Following that craven capitulatiOn,
they are living witnesses of another
campaign, of which imbecility, bad
faith, and sharp practice was the con-
spicuous features from first to last.
What encouragement is held out to
this important element to become
Democrats? Who is to lead them in
better ways? What hope is there of
improvement in the future? These
recent elections speak plainly to the
common sense of all thinking men.
The people are restiye under the dicta-
ton of two political machines, the
managers of which have u perfect un-
derstanding with each other. One
plays into the hands of its opponents
this time, and the adversary recipro-
Gates the favor next time. The Kellys
and the COrnells are intensly partisan
on the stage but behind the scenes they
laugh at the public that pays for the
tickets, and is left free to take its
choice between the actors.
More than nine millions of votes
were polled at the presidential election
for candidates that probably seven
eighths of the whole number did not
prefer. These millions had actually
no voice in the nominations which
were made by two machines, called
National Conventions, and controlled
by a few smart politicians, who went
to Chicago and Cincinnati pledged to
other candidates, but who were always
ready to betray them for a considera-
tion.
The voters themselves, by this sys-
TEN, which begins with packed prima-
ries, and with picked delegates to
national, state and county conventions,
become the mere instruments of the
machine. They have no option but to |
vote for candidates made to order or
nominated by bargain, OR to stay at
home and renounce the privilege of |
voting at all. This is the choice given |
under our boasted free institutions. |
This is called free suffrage. This is
the heritage we are asked to transmit |
to coming generations as the means of |
preserving the "best government on
EARTH" Look at it, and think where
the machine will lead this country if |
permitted to continue as the governing |
power.