Morning journal and courier., 1893-01-19
SHALL TBEA PARTY OR A wINGa

SHA IL TIT B K PAR EY OR A WING4
 General Joseph R. Hawley was yester- day elected United States Senator in the joint convention of the Republican msm- bers of the legislature. It was a great triumph for him and his active supporters, who had arrayed against them many of the most efficient and powerful "machine politicians" of the party. including the urbsne, skillful and successful chairman of the Republican State Central com mittee, and the genial and shrewd secretary of the Republican National committee. All the devices which these gentlemen know so well how to use were used. And, along toward the last, when it became plain to them that General Hawley was likely to win, strenuous efforts were made to draw votes from him by introducing as candidates all the prominent men in the party who would consent to allow their names to be used. But all to no purpose. General Flaw ley's triumph was comparatively easy one. His success was also triumph for good, clean politics. He won on his merits. His support was hearty, sincere and spontaneous. No promises were made and no tricks were played. He was elected becauss he was the best candidate and be- cause, in spite of all the skillfal work done against him, he was the real, honest choice of the majority of the party and of the majority of it's representatives in the legis- lature. The result is entirely creditable to him and entirely creditable to them.
 During the somewhat warm campaign that preceded the caucus we noticed some curious talk about the future of the Re- publican party in this State. The idea seemed to bs that if the party wanted to succeed 1t must hand itself over to the con- trol and guidance of a set of politicians who have for some time assumed to be about all there is to the party. These gentlemen like politics and they believe in their kind of politics. They are confident, aEdacious and aggressive. They look upon the party not so much as repre-. senting ideas and principles ss a means to office and power for themselves and their friends. They are very loyal to each other ss long as it will pay, and always loyal to them selves. They are conspicuous at conven- tions and other party gatherings. They wear good clothes, put on ''a front" and consider large quantities of tobacco and what is generically called "rum" ss potent and necessary aids to political maneuver- ing. Some of them are "sporty" and few of them are "deAd game sporty" They look upon politics as a game, and their view of the game ss the correct one. And when anybody oriticises their method of play they bitterly resent 1t and en- deavor to stigmatize him as traitor to the party.
 We thoroughly believe that the Repub- lican party in Connecticut is to-day suf- fering from too much politics and too many politicians of the gamey kind. It seems to be forgotten by some that the real and lasting power of party lies in its ideas and the moral force behind those ideas, and not in money or in skill in play ing the game. The people come in some- where, and they come in occasionally in a very surprising way to those who are rely | ing on their stupidity. They are not as stupid ss they seem, and party managers who fail to give them credit for fair under standing and ordinary moral sense make 8 mistake. AS we look at 1t, this mistake has been lately made by the Republican managers in Connecticut, and the party is feeling the effects of 1t.
 The future sf the Republican party in Connecticut wdd4d not have been helped by the triumph of the kind of politics represented by the most active opponents of General Hswley. It is not always good party policy to play the game of politics "for all 1t is worth" regardless of what the rank and file of the party may think, or regardless of what is morally right. II is not good party policy to endeavor to create prosoriptivs "wing," whose flap ping shall be solely for the benefit of its creators. It is not good party policy to rely upon money and force rather than upon ideas and reason. It is not good party policy to endeavor to repress fai, and just criticism and put down and stand on the critics. It Is not good party policy to endeavor to make of the party (
 machine for the procurement and distribu
 ton of benefits solely to the members o'
 the inner circle of mschinists.
 If the Republican party in Connection
 wants to amount to anything in the futur'
 it will have to shake itself and shake of
 some of the load 1t has been carrying.
 will have to be less managed and do nor
 managing. It will have to rely on idea and principles instead of money an'
 maneuvering. It will have to nominate 1t
 best men for ofssce instead of those wh
 will pay the most for the honor, and thel
 pay the most to get elected. It will hay to commend itself to the judgment and tn
 conscience of the people. If it doesn't d
 these things 1t will soon be nothing but
 "wing," and . very effectively olipps
 wing too.