The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-04-23
THE NEW PARTY.


political evolution. One Of these peri
DDS which marked the close Of the
old and the opening Of the new era
an era that will strike the death knell
OF at least some of the inequalities
in the distribution of the products OF
industry.
The wage system rs it exists to-day
must give place TO more humane
methods. which the revolutionizing
and labor saving machinery and in
ventions are fast making possible.
Issues different from those hitherto
engaging attention thurst themselves
upon the public mind. Questions OF
more than ordinary moment press for
attention and solution. The old par
ties seem to have lost their power to
grapple with new conditions. Their
platforms are formal and empty:
their promises seldom if ever perform
ed. The whole trend of their actions
OF late years seems to have been di-
rected toward the Strengthening Of
laws favorable to an aristocracy Of
wealth and the perpetuity of a GEN.
tralized government designed to pro-
tect this aristocracy in the possession
of gains that all know full well were,
in many instances. unjustly acquired.
We should not be surprised that such
is the tendency. Political parties that
have out-lived their day cannot adj
just themselves to changed condit-
ions, neither will they acknowledge
themselves obsolete; it is not in the
nature of things that they should.
Neither the wing nor the democrat
ic party, of a half century ago, had
the power within themselves to grap-
pie with the great questions Of chat
tel slavery. The one was its defend
er, the other its apologist.
The two old parties of to-day main-
tain the same position toward wage
slavery, each too intent upon the
struggle for power to give heed to the
crvof the opp ressed. Like an old
man they live upon the memories Of
the past, recounting their deeds of
Aeroiem and fondly believing that
their achievements have forever set
tied mans destiny. and that all that
posterity has to do is to enjoy the
fruits OF their labor and extol and
keep alive the glory of their name.
But let me say that the people of to-
day have mightier matters to look
after, they havea work to accomp-
lish more difficult than that which
has engaged the people of any other
age. by as much rs the number. bust
ness and intelligence of this people
surpasses that of other times.
Now, rs i'll the days of Fremont
and Lincoln, conditions call for a
new party-a party conscious of the
needs of the age-a party with vigor
and resolution equal to the demands
of the hour. No one who is convers-
ant with the needs of humanity and
knows the sentiments of the great
common people of this country but
that is also aware of this fact, that
the constituent elements of this new
party are fast crystalizing into form.
A distinctive economic thought,
either openly expressed or implied, is
embedded in the expressions of every
labor organization of the land. That
this new thought will take definite
form in a new party is unquestion-
able.
Discomfort has too long dominated
the laboring masses, while distrust of
old party methods is too general to
make it possible for either of the old
parties to hold the confidence of the
people. They may continue for a
time to hold the reigns Of government
but it will be but temporary. Dis
content has ELECTED inquiry, inquiry
has diffused knowledge and knowl-
edge has made man aggressive in the
pursuit of inherent and constitutions
al rights. Success, where an honest
effort at reform has been made, has
been such rs to inspire confidence,
and were the old parties now dispos.
ed to concede the demands made by
the alliance and labor organizations,
1t is too late to offer reconciliation
These organizations prefer 10 be the
arbiters of their own cause and the
masters of their own destiny. While
this is their settled purpose, they
have no disposition to arbitrarily un
settle the stability of existing institu
tions that are not in conflict with the
laws of justice, neither would they
infringe upon the rights of any class
All they ask is exact and universal
justice and this you may depend up
on 1t they intend to secure. This, al
least, Is their aim, and this they propose
to pursue with an uncompromising
purpose.
A destiny, above and beyond oul
ken, is hurrying Us On to future, in
material prosperity, beyond our wild
est dreams, and the elements of which
this new party must be composed
does not propose that few shall
reap all the benefits. All lands ant
all civilizations have contributed t.
the glory of the great republic and i
is idle to think that this young ant
robust child of time would perni
her institutions or her children to b,
dominated by class, or allow tn,
many to be slaves to the few. The,
who believe that such a thing wer,
possible have failed to profit by tn
lessons of history and are blind t,
the new light that universal educa
ton is throwing around and over tn
world of to-day.
The struggle that made the nam,
Of Athens historic and gave to Rom,
her glory is being repeated in Ameri
ca 1t il the old eantasf the plahe:al