Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-26
NO COALITION.
Why Democrats and Independents canno!
Unite.

Philadelphia Record.
The action of the Independent conven
ton in nominating full and strone
ticket and in laying down platform
which relates mainly to the internal dis
sensions of the Republican party of Penn
sylvania puts an end to the suggestion o.
fusion with the Democrats. This sug
gestion has never been very seriously en-
tertained except by some desperadoe:
and feather.h heads whose highest concep
tiOn of the ultimate aim in politics is q
party or personal triumph and division
of the spoils of Office. Political Goa
litions often do succeed in Legislature OF
town council, where there is limited
number of persons to be operated upon,
and where they become sometimes neces
sary but they are extremely hazardous
arrangements when an attempt is made te
carry them out at the ballotbox, as expe-
rience has abundantly demonstrated. Ii
each organization there are enough mer
who are SO strong in their prejudices or il
their convictions of political duty as to
make the combination abortive. An ALI
ance between the Democrats and indie
pendent Republicans of Pennsylvani;
would be unnatural and pernicious te
both, because both profess to have aims
and policies Of government that are essen
TALLY 1T variance.
Even if 4 combination could be effected
in the coming election, and should prove
successful, Of what permanent advantage
would it be to the high-contractine
parties , The Democrats would get 4 gov
ernOr for four years because they would
bring the greater strength to the combi.
nofiny, md tho T,,lo III ~,
lieutenant governor. One party would
receive member at large of Congress-
which in certain contingencies would
prove boon not to be coveted, and an
other would receive a sccretaryship of in
would be the end. The Regular Republi
ganizcd and ready to renew battle, though
suffering 4 temporary defeat, and the Iu-
dependents would dissolve, some Of them
drifting to the Democrats, but the major
ity returning to their old associations
the Pennsylvania campaign of 1882.
The Independents in their platform earn
cstly desire not only the relief of the Re
publican party from certain abuses but
the substitution of a civil service reform
for the present spoils system. This is il
itself very commendable. But the Demo
Gratis profess to have higher aims in regard
to national and state government which
are in hostility to those of the Indepen
dent Republicans. The Democrats have
always prOfessed to believe in that methOC
of government which bears with lightes
weight on the affairs of tho people. The
Republicans, on tho other hand, Indepen
dents and all, lean toward paternal sys-
tenn of government, which, with the best
intentions, is certainly supervising ant
controlling the people in their daily lives
While the Republicans would extend the
operations Of government, the Democrat!
would reduce them to the narrowest limits
consistent with freedom and security under
tho law. In the policy of the state til.
Democrats are opposed to sumptuar!
legislation in all it's forms. The Indepen-
dents, in one of their resolutions, declare
in favor of submitting to the people pro.
hibitory liquor amendment to the consti.
tuition. That resolution, alone, would put
an honest alliance between the Democrat
and Independent Republicans out of tht
| question.
While the Regulars and Independents
are trying conclusions with each other the
Democrats have their own separate ant
distinct work to accomplish. They may
be able to elect anybody, as they did il
1874, when they so badly marred their op
portunities in the choice of 4 batch of i'll
competents. But they can select as theil
candidate for governor some distinguish
cd member Of the party whose career il
associated with practical reforms in the
state government, and whose nomination
will be the best guarantee Of thei
purpose to continue this work. They
may enter through tho breach in tho
ranks of their opponents with any greedy
self-seeker who may put himself in thei
lead, but their triumph would be vain and
purpOseless. What they want to do is tC
lay deep the foundations OF political power
in the state by such nominations as will
commend themselves to the intelligent
judgment of the people, and will make thu
conflict of the two divisions of the Rcpub
lican party matter of secondary import
ance. But they can make nominations so
repugnant to public sentiment as to drive
the warning factions together and leave
but one Republican for them to encounter
in November. If the lack of drill ani
discipline is a source Of danger to the
Democrats they will be able to overcome il
by prudence and caution. The Independ.
ents in their convention on Wednesday
without pressure and without manage
ment, selected a ticket in a way which
! will commend itself to the wise imitation
Of the Democrats.