Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-11-13
Our MMgMunnNS.

we uOpb llial none OF our rcduefS Will
fail to read the article from the Milwau-
kee Sentinel. in another column of this
paper, regarding Mugwumps 1t APP
plies to our Mugwumps right here at
home, some of whom voted the Demo-
cratic ticket others the Prohibition
ticket, while others contented them
selves with scratching some of the Re-
publican candidates, and voting the rest
of the ticket These Mugwumps are
always proclaiming that they ''have
right to vote just as they please" as
though that fact were disputed. The
Republican party comedies that right,
and lays it down as one of the prin-
ciples of this government that no voter
shall be deprived OF it; but no greater
fallacy was ever taught the people by u
demagogue, than the one that every
member of Il political organization has
a moral right to set up his individual
judgment in opposition to the expressed
judgment of the party organization to
which he claims to belong, and at the
same time, parade and attempt to MAIN
tain his absurd claim to membership
and recognition in that party. Should
the people of this country ever become
imbued with the foolish notion of ndi-
vidual independence of political organ
izations, then indeed will they be at the
mercy of INSCRIPTIONS demagogues
One has only to study the history of
church organizations and religious So
cielies to see how necessary thorough
organization is TO the maintenance of
great principles. In this free country
no one claims the right nf u party or
ganization TO compel ind ,idual mem
bers of the party to accep It's principles
or its DEGREES, and perfect individual
political freedom in cas- ing ones vote
under the laws is not onl conceded but
guaranteed But to set y a claim to
the benefits of members p in an or
ganization, and by prefix = "Indepen-
dent to the name by " ich members
of the party are known and by this
shallow subterfugc seeking to defeat It's
principles and candidates, is dishonest.
There is but one kind of Republicans,
and anyone styling himself an "Indc-
pendent Republican, is fraud, for
the reason that by assuming that name
hs.f raf.gr tfA
that he is entitled to the rights of men,
bership in the Republican party. In
ninety-nine cases IN n hundred an ''In
dependent is some unfortunate would
be statesman who, perhaps notwith-
standing the fact that his head is as
peaked rs lemon or as fiat as an onion.
thinks that he has not been appreciated
by the party. His hopes and ambitions
have not been realized, and the party
is to blame for it. He has sore toe,
and does not propose to march in the
ranks. Had he been field officer and
been permitted to ride horse, his toe
would not have been sore He falls out
of the ranks and is an ''Iudependent.
Sometimes he is young man with
an ambition TO become great
leader, and seeing no opening in either
of the great parties, he thinks that By
going into some new movement, he and
a few other unsophisticatcd nobodies
can organize new party which shall
sweep the old parties out of existence.
and in the great popular uprising that
is to come, he sees himself borne on
the shoulders of the people TO the state
legislature. to Congress, or perhaps the
White House. All of them are of course
devoted TO some great principles" but
all have little hatchets TO grind, although
they are carefully kept concealed under
their coat-tails. Even the publisher of
the great Independent county newspa-
per who has been disappointed in not
getting the county printing. is espousing
the ca 9 of the dear people and fighting
for great principle" All of these
classes are Mugwumps, and they are all
represented in this county. The people
may for time be deceived in regard to
the motives which inspire them, but
they soon learn that their great motive
is nothing more dignified than ambition
for cheap political notoriety, or petty
spite and revenge aimed at those who
have stood in their path when they have
sought political honors.