The morning call., 1892-11-14
COME TO STAY.

A meeting of the leading organizers in the
NOn-ParJisan movement will be held this
afternoon, and committee consisting of
Messrs. Nightingale. Milliken and Eaton
will report basis on which the organize
ton may be retained in existence. This is
as it should be. A party which, after two
months Lie, acquired strength enough to
elect the Mayor of The city and to utterly
overwhelm the Republican buses and their
machine ought not to be allowed to expire
without exhibiting further usefulness.
La fact though the original sphere of the
Non-Partlsans was purely municipal and
care was taken TO confne their exertions to
the city politics only, it is evident that the
underlying principles of their organization
apply to all political fields. The object of
the movement was to destroy The power of
corrupt bosses operating through packed
conventions and arranging elections by the
use Of money. That power was first felt in
city affairs, because those affairs touch the
average citizen more closely than State or
Federal concerns. Therefore the Non-Par-
tsans struck at the city bosses to begin
with. But corruption and boss misrule are
felt in every branch of the public business.
They are at the bottom Of the Jobs which
have brought scandal on both the State and
found wherever the people at large dele
gate TO representatives the direction of af-
fairs which are common 20 all. This after
Moons meeting viii probably announce that
the Non-P Partisan organization proposes 10
remain In existence and that it invites the
cooperation Of all good citizens In purging
the Stale as wei! as the city. 1t will not
propose to take a hand in the settlement of
national questions. But there are questions
Of State politics as well as OF municipal pol
iiics which may be determined by the infiu-
ence Of q local organization acting in CO.
operation with men Of the same way of
thinking in ali parts of the State. For ex-
ample, the Traffic Association invited all
candidates for the Legislature to pledge
themselves to pursue a certain course on a
certain matter in the event of election.
The pledges were submitted to Democrats,
Republicans and POpusts without preju-
dice TO their political action On all other
questions than that upon which pledge
was asked. In somewhat the same way the
Non-Partisans may exercise a dominant
influence on merely State politics, But it
, will carefully avoid the mistake of attempt
ing 10 throw its influence in favor Of either
Of the national parties on issues that are
primarily national. a municipal govern
d, f7s1t las to deal with questions not re-
NJ .ely allied to questions Of national poll
tics. Municipal officers have charge of the
local courts, of schools, Of the police, the
Fire Department. the streets, parks, sewers
and other public Institutions The per-
Torrance Of these duties has nothing to do
with the ideas the officials may entertain
on the tariff, State banks or other national
questions. But in State politics questions
may come up for consideration which be-
lepg to the State only and upon which a
municipal pan-partisan organization may
properly have something 10 say.
There is a vacancy in our political system
which sume such organization as the Nom
Par;isans might succeed in filling. To fill
Il the reform party would need only 10 fol-
low in the track to which the Nom artisans
adhered in The late campaign. The leaders
would have TO be disinterested and their
purpose intelligent. The Non-Partisans
elected their Mayor because they sought
nothing for themselves and because their
assaults upon corrupt bossism were based
on truth and conducted with intelligent SIM
certify. A faithful adherence to these rules
Of conduct might enable them to extend
their organization throughout the State and
10 elect a Legislature of which the State
might be proud.