The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-11-19

THE mugwumps are receiving great
deal of unfavorable notice, now as much
from the democratic press as last year
from republican sources. 1t requires
great deal of courage to break away from
party traditions, but progress in politics
must come from independence in e1er-
cising the right of suffrage. 1t is an in
dividual right and cannot be sequestered
by party. 1t was heresy at one time to
believe the earth moves or is round, and
the persons who dared to reject the then
accepted belief for the unerripg conclu-
sions of MATHEMATICAL reasoning, suffered
persecution.
Will any one agree that party COZ
vention is infalliblei That it's dictates
should receivs unreasoning complained
That body Of politicians, which all our
national conventions are, should have
control of the political conscience of in
dividuals and exercise censorship over
the rights of man to vote as his intelli-
gencs may direct? Then why should we
deem the education of tbs masses essen
tisl to good citizenship The ballot is
the only effective means a citizen has of
expressing approval or disapproval Of
governmental policies or public men.
Is he to be practically DISTINGUISHED by a
party oligarchy7
The mugwumps are said to be Often
sively dictatorial. In what manner2 Are
they not citizens of the United States
and have they not as much interest in
all matters which concern the public
welfare as the man who never casts a
vote that does not bear the party label?
Must 4 man who refuses to be political
serf hold himself sloof from all public
matters; offer no suggestion, express no
opinion, carefully abstain from criticism
of public measures, take no interest in
the filling Of offices in which he is as
vitality interested as if he voted by direc-
tion7
Is it proper to sheer at republican
who refused to vote for Blaine whom he
believed dishonest and unfit for the pres
idency7 Such q republican showed that
he had more regard for the country than
for his party. But the mugwumps re-
fused to support Hill. Truly. and With
reason, as Hill is pronounced opponent
of that civil service reform which is a
cardinal principle of mugwumpian
faith. The mugwumps did not become
democrats by the act of supporting CIeve-
land. They did not fly from one party
to join another in the sense of being
party chattels They are denounced as
theoretical political theorists. But they
are working earnestly to have their theo-
ries put in practice, and let it not be for
gotten that they have called the attention
of the country quite forcibly to consid-
GRAFTON Of the principles they advocate.
Itisn natural therepublican party should
feel indignant at body of men, seceders
from it's organization, demanding that
the bloody shirt be set aside and cam
paigns conducted on principles which
have to do with the public good; and il
is natural that democrats anxious fol-
position, and who feel that party organ.
ization finds the only reason for its being
in securing offices for its importunate
members, should feel indignant that any
body Of men should argue that man e
fitness, not his politics, should be CON-
sidered in his appointment. That the
mugwumps have made some impression
on public sentiment is quite evident, and
it is folly to believe that ridicule or abuse
will erase or lessen that impression
The Independents are advocates of poiit
ioal deoency, insurgents revolving from
the tyranny of party and leaders breaking
away from old traditions which imposed
servitude, and their following will in
crease.