National Republican., 1883-08-24
LET TUE nArrLE BEGIN.
Our Follows Have Just Been Thoroughly
Licked all Along the Line aud arc
Ready for tho Fray,


Ready for the Fray.
Net0 Yo,k Tfibune
In years past the Tribune has urged the
republican party to keep near TO the people.
the source of all power, if it wished to main
tain its hold upon popular support In this
way only, it was shown, could the organiza-
tion save itself from drifting into that state of
hopelessness and dry rot that the democracy
has been in for quarter of century. There
have been times when 1t seemed impossible
to prevent the republican party from drifting
in the same direction. This leaning was
painfully evident four years ago, whom few
self constituted bosses undertook to force the
party into an unnatural position in the presi-
dental contest Fortunately that peril was
escaped. But after their well laid plans came
to naught the power of the men who engi-
neered the movement appeared scarcely les
sened.
The people soon made IL evident however
that this method of managing the republican
party met with their decided dsapproval.
The first indications that republicans would
no longer submit to the dictation of party
bosses we're seen In the general revolt of last
year. The rebuke the bosses received then
is too fresh in the public mindeto need re-
capitulation. AS n result of that popular
uprising democratic governors dot the coun-
try from Cape Cod to San Francisco bay.
Other proofs Of the peoples determination to
rid the republican party of dctators have
been given. Among them tho results of the
senatorial elections have been significant. In
Michigan, Nebraska, Minnesota, Oregon, and
Colorado the caucus has received severe set
back and the maneuvring politicians have
boon taught a lesson they will not soon forget.
In these and in many other ways tho rank
and file of the republican party have enforced
the precept that their wishes and desires must
be respected If their support was to be looked
for in the future.
1t is gratifying to note that these indica-
tions Unpopular disapproval have been needed.
A cursory review of the political events of
the past few months will show how we'll the
republican party has profited by experience.
The state conventions held this year have
been entirely free from party bossism. Penn
sylvania which was known for years as the
worst boss-ridden state in the union, has held
a convention which was marked by the alb
sence of all dictation. The ticket it nomi-
mated and the platform it adopted are accept
able to the most ulGra.indopepdent repub-
iicans. In the Minnesota state convention
the attempt to reinstate party bosses who had
been compelled to abdicate met with an ig-
nominous defeat Ohio has never been con-
sidered good ground for the propaga-
tion of political bosses. And yet even
here the action of the convention was
noticeably free and untrammelled. In short,
in every state whore party assembly has
been held this year republicans have made it
plain that the organization would in future
be controlled by the people. The decision of
the national committee that delegates to the
next presidential convention must be made to
represent districts and the movement for pop
ular primaries in this city are in line with
the effort to bring back the republican party
to its former close relations with the people
the fountain and source of all power. How
different the situation in the democratic
party is can be judged from the fact that the
mere intimation of its candidate for governor
in Ohio that he was leading new democracy
is met with ridicule and contempt, and that
this will probably be one of tho most potesit
causes in defeating him for Office