Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-18
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THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 1e, 1852.


THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 10, 1882.
What They Must Choose Between.
Mr.. Wolfe has concluded to keep step
with the independent movement. lie
"deprecates Democratic ascendency in
the state but finds that "all hope of
peace is at an end'' and that " nothing is
left but war-war.against the spoils sys
tenn and bossism." Mr.. Smith, enc of the
Independent committee in Philadelphia,
also recognizes Democratic ascendency
as the result of the war, and is impelled
to withdraw from the movement for
that reason. There is no doubt but that
this forecast of Democratic success in
the ensuing election, as the result oftwO
Republican tickets in the field, is cor
rectly made, and Independent Republi-
cans will need to select between their
hatred of " bossism' and their dislike
of Democracy, which of the twain
they hate the most. We are
really sorry that they are in this
dilemma, but we can cOnscientiOusly say
that we have had no responsibility in
producing it and we do not see that we
are called upon to do anything to relieve
them of it. A policy of non-interven-
ton in domestic quarrels is srecommended
to prudent outsiders, who can legiti-
mately give only their sympathy to the
side that seems to deserve it. We have
no difficulty in deciding that the indie.
pendcnts merit our sympathy for they
have been despitefully used and are being
kept away from the enjoyment of the
fleshpots that ought to be- free to
all of their household of faith. SYM
pathy is cheap and we cheerfully ex-
tend it but any active interference
in their behalf would be expensive and
we have not the generosity for the exhi-
bition. Certain kinds of generosity are
as Indicative of soft-headedness as of
soft-heartedness, and this would be one
of that kind. The Democratic party in
the past has been more than once seduced
into its exhibition, but never once with
out finding cause to regret it and we
rather think it has been so taught wis
dom 10y its rough experience as to PIE
vent it from any proffer now of
active aid to the perturbed slaves of the
Republican bosses. If they would like
to be free they can easily make them
selves SO but it is too much for them to
expect to achieve freedom and office
holding all at once.
We notice that we are being kindly
advised to coalition with the Independ-
ent Republicans, but it strikes us that
the advice goes to the wrong party. 1t
should be extended to the Independents
themselves. If they want to use the
Democracy rs IA stick with which to beat
their bosses we are quite ready TO have
them do so. We have the same object.
We want to defeat the Republican ma
chine. We will put ticket in the field
with that aim. The Independents are
cordially invited to support it. We
will, if they desire to come, welcome
them at the primary elections at which
we select delegates to our convention,
and thus permit them to have the same
voice that we have in determining the
candidates that we equally intend to
support. But If they would rather have
ticket of their own. we will still put
out our ticket, so that between us we
can beat the machine, while the largest
of our poles knocks the persimmOns.
But we cannot present anything but
Democratic ticket. We have party
which we think has 4 use and mission.
We are comfortable in it and do not
find any reason for going out of it
in the fact that other people find
theirs too hot for them. TO such
our doors are open. Only such will
come in as find our house better than
the Republican and only such do we
want. We do not care 10 entertain po-
litical tramps who will use our asylum
for the night and in the morning shake
its dust from their feet. We want the
accessions that we get to he fat that will
stick to the bones and make us big and
strong for future conflicts. No doubt
great many independent Republicans
who indulge themselves in i mild dislike
of the machine-such us the Philadelphia
Smith-wOuld vote for a conglomerate
Democratic and Republican ticket to beat
their bosses and next year would 60 back
to their vOmit, rs even their apostle,
Wolfe, thought to do this year. Mr..
Wolfe the other day said he did not pro-
pose to be 4 catspaw for the Democrats.
Sure then he has apparently concluded
that an independent ticket can be put
in the field without being properly stig-
matized rs 4 Democratic catspaw, and
so we think it may. Democrats have a
like reluctance to he used as catspaws;
and We do not propose to pull the Inde-
pendents' chestnuts out of tine fire for
their enjoyment only. If we seize the
fruit we incline to enjoy the feast.
NOn-intervention in domestic RepuL-
lican quarrels we find to be the policy of
our Democratic United States senators.
The Independent Mitchell spoke to his
brethren of the Senate long and earnestly
to persuade them that Senator Cameron
should not be permitted to take off COL
lector Wiley's head to make room for
his Stalwart adherent Kaufman. The
Democratic senators at least were able
to agree with him that there was not
reasonable cause for the change vet