Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-24
TUESDAY. MAY "a, 1899.
THE THIRD PARTY.


has taken the republic go far away from
its moorings, has SO changed the form of
our government, has 80 centralized
power, has built up so insolent an aris-
tocracy OF mere wealth, that a revolt was
inevitable. The American people are q
reading people, and know far more than
the average OF men Of the genius OF the
government under which they live. The
American people are patriotic people
who are always ready to set their coun-
try above their party. The rise of the
Peoples party is not, therefore, any
matter of wonder among people who
watch closely the trend of affairs. The
average American citizen. who knows
of the constitution of his
country and feels something of those
generous aspirations which gave rise to
the republic, could hardly be expected
to look on in unmoved unconcern while
every vestige of states and personal
rights were being wrested from their
grasp and the whole power of the gov
eminent transferred to a horde of Office
holders intent on nothing except the
spoils of Office.
The correctness of these views will ap-
pear to anyone who will take the trouble
to compare the close alliance between
the principles laid down by the Peoples
party and the genuine Democracy Of
Jefferson and Jackson, and the wide di-
yergence Of view between the funda-
mental principles of the Farmers and
Citizens Alliances and the fundamental
dogmas of the Republican party. This
is further exemplified in the inroads
the Alliance movement has made in the
strongest Republican states. and the OPP
position the Alliance has met at the hands
OF the Republicans, and the quite cor
dial welcome held out to Alliance people
by the Democracy generally. The best
Democrats in the country have readily
recognized strong ally in the Alliance,
and have hailed the Peoples party as
co-workers with them in their warfare
upon all monopolies and trusts.
To bring this near home, we have
word to say to the Alliance people in
this immediate section. Here Repub-
licanism has run to seed beyond the
average doings of that party. The rea-
SON is the overwhelmingly large major
ity that party has hereabouts. 1t is a
very deplorable thing for any party to
have such complete control OF the Offices
that there is no partisan check to hold
the overbearing majority in bounds.
Under such circumstances all ths squab-
BILE goes on inside the party in securing
the nomination to Office. To get the
nomination is the same as to be elected,
for all cliaues stand in to elect the
ieket, hoping that in the division Of the
spoils something will fall to their share.
Once the Offices are secured the in
cumbents may do as they please.
The hangers on must be provided
for, and the Office holder who
neglects this duty to his party is put
down as ''no good" The more extrav-
agantly an Office is conducted the better
for those most interested. The history
of the city and county government of
Los Angeles city and county, as at pres
ent administered, proves the correctness
of these statements to the letter. Party
organs, party wire-pullers and party
place-seekers stand together to defend
every scheme of extravaganza devised.
To bring politics back to the level OF
administering the Offices for the good of
the people is reform. This is the final
result of the work which the Peoples
party profess to set before themselves to
do. 1t is thing the local Democracy
in its best and most numer-
ons element is desirous to see
accomplished. 1t is a thing that tax
payers and honest working people will
gladly join us to get done if we can only
impress them with the conviction that
we mean what we say and are capable of
doing what we propose.
Can we create this impression? The
recent history Of our own party in this
county and city leads the thoughtful
ones among US to entertain a rather
faint hope of our ability to thoroughly
cleanse the filthy Augean stables of local
politics. The tax-eaters seem to be too
many for the taxpayers among our
selves.
~ Every man who pays rent is a tax
payer by indirection. 1t is to this large
md most directly interested class of the
population that we make our appeal.
Divided, the tax.eaters are too many for
us. and the present regime OF extrava-
gance and corruption must go on un-
checked. United in one solid phalanx,
we would be irresistible. As for our
selves, we are quite ready to join heart
and soul in any earnest and honest move
ment that promises to be successful and
to put some check on the present order
of things. In the past we have been
noted for some independence of spirit,
and have in the interests of true reform
time and again refused to support for
office men whom we knew to be unfit.
We shall follow the same most righteous
course again, and invite the cooperation
of AL earnest reformers to aid ue in the
securing in the city and county offices Of