Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-08-15
THE INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT.

II Republican Boilers Hold q Conven-
ton in New York to Decide Upon. Fut-
ure Action-An Organization Effected,
and n National Executive and Other
Committees Appointed The Platform
Adopted.
NEW YORK, July ga meeting of In
dependents opposed to Blaine and Logan
took place yesertday at the University Club
Theater, in this city. For an hour before
the time fixed, there was an unusual stir in
that generally quiet locality, and inside the
corridors of the little theater consultation
of Independents was busily carried on.
Among the more prominent faces notice.
able were George William Curtis and Carl
Schurz.
The hall was we'll filled when the meet
ing was called to order. The appearance
OF George William Curtis OH the platform
evoked cheers of applause. MI. Curtis
and welcomed the delegates. lie read the
call for the conference, and when he reached
that portion which related to Republicans
WHO will not vote for Blaine and Logan
he was interrupted by applause.
Charles S. Goldman was elected Presi-
dent. The list OF Vice Presidents and the
names of the Enrolment Committee were
read, including Carl Schurz, General Bar
low and {. j. Bonaparte, of Maryland. The
nominees were all elected.
After Chairman Goldman had concluded
his speech, Hon. Carl Schurz moved that a
committee be appointed to act on resolu-
tons and the address. Carried.
Mr.. Curtis read a communication from
the National Temperance Society. 1t was
referred to the Communities on Resolutions,
Horace E. Deming, of Brooklyn, said he
believed this conference would leave behind
it some work that would show it intended to
do some fighting during this campaign.
He moved that a committee be appointed to
report a plan Of permanent organization.
Carried, and a committee was appointed
with Mr.. Deming as Chairman.
The Committee on Permanent Organize
ton reported in favor of the appointment of
a National Committee. The report was
New York-Carl schurz, Theodore Bacon,
John H. Cowling,- Charles b. Miller, r. P.
Bowker, George W. Folsom. Ethan Allen
Doty, George Walton Greene and Horace L.
Deming..
Observation-Disclosures H. Forbes. Joseph
Tneker: Joseph y. Walter, samne! Hoar,
WlDslow Warren.
Connccticut-s. E. Baldwin, Q. P. Arm
strong and II. w. Farnam.
Now Jerscy-Daniei Drake Smith, Simeon
Huntington and w. &. Peckham.
PENNSYLVANIA b. Reeves, Stewart Wood
and Joseph Parish.
The committees retired for consultation,
and short addresses were made by Colonel
Massachusetts, and Thomas Bacon, OF Con.
n%ecticut, after which a recess of one hour
was taken.
On reassembling the following platform
was adopted:
The paramount Issue OF the Presidential
election this years. moral rather than polite
al. 1t concerns the NATIONAL honor and the
character and honesty of the administration
rather than the general policies OF govern
ment, upon which the platforms of the two
taken by one platform is seriously traversed
hy the other. Both evidently contemplate
the general fhe asr sSb1ents of p %siae opinion 5dDa
been long in controversy, and in
dicato an unwillingness to declare
upon other and cardina! questions their
opinion, might seriously disturb the parties
within themselves. The parties, indeed, now
cohere mainly by habit and tradition, and
them have been largely settled the most vital
political activity has been an endeavor of the
good citizens in both parties to adjust them
to living issues and to make them effective
agencies OF political progress and reform.
The indispensable necessity. of this course
found peace at home and abroad the most
pOlltlcal COrrupt!On, which is mercenary and
demoralizing in spirit and has a endcncy to
result i'll what is well described by Senator
Eloar, of Massachusetts, us 1.-The shameless
doctrine s.tr1 e that the true way by which power
people with Offices created for their service,
and that the true end for which it should be
used when gained is the promotion Of a selfish
ambition aud. qualification OF personal re-
venge." But this doctrine, naturally, has pro-
duccd results which are still more alarming.
A corrupt spirit and Tendency have so rapidly
| OnVolOueu that thew seek nOIjfio1I mower
not only to CRAFTY ambition aud revenge but
to promote gain. They'd eride appealst to public
conscience, defend the soiled regulations
of public men by the bold assertion thar all
public men are equally guilty. declare that
success in obtaining eminent position isposcs
of every imputution and suspicion of wrong
doing, and they despise Impractical measures
to reform that system of official patronage
which fosters dishonest politics, makes a
longed and monstrous fraud, and proclaiEs
that it is the duty of every citizen who, for
great and beneicent ends, has habitunlly sup
ported the party. to regard the success OF the
party at the election without regard to
the character OF those whom it selects as its
executive agents, to be a supreme national
necessity. A tendency more fatal to public
welfare can not be conceived, and when by
public indifference or misunderstanding this
corrupt spirit is able to demand that the
country shall approve it by according to it
the highest honor in its gift, every patriotic
citizen must perceive that no duty could be
more pressing, vital aud imperative than that
OF bathing and defeating the demand.
If the Republican Convention had presented
q candidate whose character and career were
the pledge OF Il rcsoiute contest with the ten
denotes that we have described; if they had
foretold Il stern dealing with political corrup-
ton and q vigorous correction OF the vast
abuses which long ard undi+turbed tenure Of
power BY airy party is sure to breed; if the
| success Of the candidate had promised intiex-
ible honesty of administration, publication
OF the Governments, and the elevation OF
the party standard. every Republican voter
would have gladly supported the nomi-
nation. But these are precisely the
anticipations which she nomination for
bids. 1t offers a candidate who is unit for a
leader, as is shown by his own words and his
acknowledged acts, which arc Of official rec
ord, to be unworthy of respect ana conf
dcnee; who has traded upon his Official trust
for his pecuniary gain: Il representative OF
men, methods and conduct which public
conscience condemns, ana which illustrates
the very evils which honest men would re-
form. Such a nomination does not promise
in the Executive chair an lnticXible official
| integrity, Il cool and wise Judgment, a sole re-
gard for tha.public welfare, and an unShrink-
ing determination to promote reform in the
civil! service and ceaSeleSsly 10 pursue and
punish public robbers of every kind and de-
gree.
The independent voters have generally sup
ported the Republican nominations as more
surely promising reform than those Of the
Democratic party. The Independents, how
ever, can not support a nOmInatio on which is
the elimination of Il tendency that they
would correct. The Republicans can not