The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-05-23
A Multiplicity of Parties.

The man who would keep track of all
the different political parties of the
country must needs have his wits about
him and do a good deal of newspaper
reading.
First, there is the equal rights party,
which has placed in nomination for
president BELvA A. LOCKWOOD of the
District of Columbia, and for vice-pres-
ident, ALFRED III. LOVE of Pennsyl-
vania. BELvA knows how il is herself,
as she has once before trotted around
the presidential track. Probably there
will be no LOVE lost III the presidential
race.
Next comes the union labor party
that held its convention last week in
the city of Cincinnati. It's candidates
are, for president, A. j. STREEToR of
Illinois; for vice president, CHAs. Z.
CUNNINGHAM of Arkansas.
Then comes the united labor party
HENRY GEORGES deserted bantling-
which held its convention at the same
time and in the same city as the union
labor party. Its candidates are ROBERT
III. CoUDREY of Illinois for president,
and w. III. L. WAKEFIELD of Kansas, for
vice president. The names of the two
labor parties-union and united-are
misnomers. They unite like oil and
water and have about as much union
between them rs did the famous Kill
kenny cats.
After the two labor parties comes the
poor, little, diminutive, played-out
greenback party, which also held its
convention in Cincinnati at the same
time as its two illustrious competitors,
but did not have life enough left in its
weary body to make any nominations.
1t is of no consequence whatever in the
political field Since its great apostle,
Gen. WEAVER, has gone over, soul and
body, to the democrats and has become
Il champion of CLEvELANDIsM and the
MILLS bill, the greenback party has
nothing left to live for.
And then there is the prohibition
party, party that runs with a crank, a
party of great promises and of magniti-
cent expectations, a party that, like
the Irishman when he sheared the pig,
raises great cry, but secures little
wool. This party proposes to nominate
Gen. CLINTON b. FISK as its candidate
! 10. ha l.I 70, h. Il In
atory, as it boastingly claims, to elect
ing Michigan's own great SAMUEL
DICKEY in '92. 1t is possible that this
party may, as it did in "a, secure the
election of an antisumptuary law dem
ocrat as president; otherwise it will cut
no figure in the approaching campaign.
1t is possible, and perhaps probable,
that there may be other little parties
such as the anti-secret society party,
the American party, etc, etc.-that
have not yet ventured out of the woods,
but which may yet show their diminu-
tive heads in the political field. But,
Notwithstanding this multiplicity VI
parties, the fight will be between the
two great parties, the republican and
the democratic. The latter must nom
mate CLEvELAND-one term CLEvE-
LAND-as its candidate. He has a
mortgage on the nomination and has
issued his orders to have it speedily
foreclosed. CLEVELAND and freetrade
is to be the issue on one side, while on
the other it will be protection to Amer
lean industries and American labor,
championed and led by some one of
the dozen or more prominent and able
party leaders who are mentioned in
connection with the republican nomi-
nation. Certainly no voter should
complain that there are not parties
enough and to spare but, before he
casts his ballot, he should remember
that the issue is between the republican
and democratic parties, between pro-
lection and freetrade, and that every
ballot cast for any of the numerous side
issue parties is absolutely thrown away
and, so far as its effect is concerned,
might just as well be used as lamp
lighter