Morning journal and courier., 1882-05-16
NEW HAVEN, CONN., TUESDAY MORNING. MAY I6, 1882
Tuesday Morning, May 16, 1882.
THE INDEPENDENTs OF PENNsYLVA-
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 Senator Mitchell of Pennsylvania, has ex- pressed himself very freely concerning the political situation in that State, and what he says is well worth attention. He makes no concealment of his purpose to cast in his lot with those who are determined to break the Cameron rule in the party at any cost To the suggestion that three of the five candi- dates nominated by Cameron's convention are Independents he responded t'It is not men that the Independents are contending for, it is the principle. The ticket is as strong Cameron ticket as could be selected. I do not particularly object to the msn. The In dependents in Pennsylvania are not making war upon persons. They have not even claimed the right to initiate nominations. They asked only that men whose antecedents and character would make sure the suppress sion of machine methods, bossism and the spells system in Pennsylvania should be se- lected. They demanded that works should be added to the profession of faith to which the stalwart element said Amen at the late conference. For bread they were given a stone Their declaration of principles was laughed to scorn in Cameron's convention. It was robbed of its practical effect even upon future party control, by eliminating the clause which requires the representation of State conventions to be based upon Ithe Republican vote of each county. It was also vitally stabbed by leaving the right to vote at primaries to be regulated by county commit tees at their own will, when they generally have no will but that of the imperial head of them all.
 Senator Mitchell says the Independent movement in Pennsylvania means simply that Republicans are free men of the party whose voice shall be respected in party con- trol, and whose public servants, placed in power by their votes, shall be servants of the people and not henchmen of party leaders, or slaves of political bosses. It demands the absolute punishment of the spells system from American politics and governmental ad- ministration at once and forever. 1.-The spells system, used even for party advantage is destructive of true Republican govern ment. But when, as now, in Pennsylvania ouu dL " IL ls uS6u GO give LndSGcTy to faction of ihe party in power, it is 8 crime against every instinct of patriotism it. self. The people will put that thing down, and the Pennsylvania Independents have re- solved to give them the chance to blot it out forever. If the Republican party is to live hereafter in the State and in the nation, it must come up resolutely to this work"
 This is courageous and inspiring talk, and there are pleasing indications that the Penn sylvania Independents intend to act as boldly as they speak. They may, of course, defeat the Republican party by their action, but if the yoke of Cameron cannot be thrown of without defeating the party the reformers ought not to shrink from such 8 result. As Senator Mitchell says; "All their efforts to confer and agree upon platform and eandi- dates have been spurned with contempt and every instinct of self respect, and every con sideration of political consistency requires that they have ticket of their own selection to support by their votes. If this shall re- suit in Republican defeat the fault will not be theirs"