Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-11-17
Independent Submissive RefOrmers.


Independent Submissive Reformers.
The Independent - RepublicanS, who
sank their independence in the late can
vass, met yesterday in Philadelphia in
mutual admiration over their combined
independence and loyal Republicanism
and to resolve to fight it out on the
same admirable line in future political
campaigns. We cannot be surprised at
the. dissatisfaction with which these
gentlemen regard their invention of a
plan by which they continue to be good
Republicans, while at the same time they
indulge in the heartiest disapproval OF
the management of their party. 1t is
very pleasant to esteem oneself re-
former and an independent while avoid
ing the disagreeable necessity of aban-
doning the party ship, however piratlcal
the craft. To be one of freebooting
crew, while in mutiny against the
officers, is little dangerous game
on the high seas, where mutineers
may be asked to walk the plank.
But if enough of them can gather
together to keep their courage up, they
may indulge in little loud talking on
the deck with considerable assurance of
safety when they declare in advance
their readiness to join in working the
ship when she goes into action for the
common booty. Men of the ordinarily
honest and independent stamp are gen
orally expected to get out of such craft
when they discover their character. 1t
is apparently the best plan for the evict'
ed crew of an honest merchantmen to
get into another ship t" pursue and
overcome the robbers who have seized
upon their own for this other idea of
taking service under the pirates in the
hope of overcoming them requires u
great deal of dirty work to be done, and
has but slim chance Of final success.
Congressman Bayne, who has just
demonstrated to himself and the
country, in contest over Il
small pOstoffice in his district, that
Senator Cameron possesses the ear OF
the national administration, came into
this Philadelphia conference thoroughly
satisfied that something effective must
be done in the kicking way ii
those who are not Senator Cameron s
friends in the state are not to be pcrnnH-
nently sat down upon. 80 There is no
use in mincing Matters" he exclaimed.
In other words. soft words are of no
manner of account The Independent
submissive reform Republicans can lose
nothing by talking loudly and speaking
the bravest words they can think of:
only, they must not, under the view they
take of things, do any brave acts. Just
how they reached this conclusion is not
very clear, but they say they have come
to it. 1t is not apparent in what respect
these Republicans who did not bolt
Baily are any better off than those who
did. Congressman Baync, who cannot
control a little village pcstotlice i'll his
district, ought to be able to make up his
mind that he has no more power than
Mr.. Wolfe, and ought to be in Il voca-
tive state as to what he gained by voting
for Baily, while hoping for Wolfe; or
voting blank ticket, which was only Il
half vote for Baily, as they say some OF
these remarkable reform independent
anti-Cameron Republican people did.
This contest is to be carried on
strictly within the party says Mr..
Bayne: I'VE will make an effort to cap
ture the convention, but if the machine
and its methods overcome us then we
will graciously submit" That isa po-
itical programme calculated to fill the
world with admiration and to enthuse
any Republican in Pennsylvania who has
a heart that hasn't all aspiration that is
not for reform and mind that is without
a shadow of doubt of the exceeding wick
edness of the L" machine leaders Of his
party who are painted to him 10y the
Reform Independent anti-Cameron Re
publican editors and orators in colors of
the darkest hue. 1t must be so pleasant
to an Independent RefOrmer to denounce
in the stoutest words the wickednesS of
the leaders of his party, up to coil
vention day, knowing in advance that
he will then be ready to yield them his
renewed submission if the convention
says so. The Independent RefOrmer has
then pure soul, filled with the knowl-
edge of adVty we'll performed, and he
can enter with keenness and zest upon
the campaign to elect to office men
whom he considers most unworthy, but
whom his party associates have taken
the responsibility of deciding t" be
worthy, and SO given him the oppor.
tunity of showing with Il clear conscience
that party obedience which is considered
the chief jewel in the crown of All Inde-
pendent Reform Republican.
1t may seem to some people that such
obedience to party commands, right or
wrong, is of questionable propriety; but
such folk haven't the true conception Of
independence and reform. They must
understand that the good citizen who
has allied himself to q party cannot ad
vance or retreat farther than the party
wallin exercising his priyilesesandd duties
of citizenship. In arepublic, submission
to the majority is a necessity. So in a
party such submission is a duty. Those
who consider that when their party is
very wrong they are right to refuse to