Middletown transcript., 1895-06-08

1
broad craftsmanship which character
lied its early leaders has been displaced
by the selfish and unpatriotic intrigue
of the spoils politician. The SAM
quiet thought will, we think, lead t,
the conclusion that in this change from
principle to pelf, from followinga high
ideal with noble resolve for the com
mon veal, to mere partisan effort, the
party has lost the power to attract mer
and to enthuse them to honest, straight
forward and, if necessary, heroic work
for party success; that the party is nc
longer regarded as the embodiment OF
the forces which make for freedom,
justice and humanity. This is not be.
cause these basic principles have been
destroyed; is not because all that is
possible in their application has been
achieved by the Republican party, but
because some leader has decided the
people of the State coHld better afford
to wait on the realization of their
hopes than he could to miss nomina-
tion; than he could to forego the privi-
leges of leadership and allow some
competitor to lead the party to victory
and win coveted office.
Along this line the thoughtful Re-
publican voter will come to the proofs
of the necessity of higher ideals, and
honest efforts to attain them, as a ba-
sis for Republican success. This con-
clusion is inevitable. Other political
organizations may live and succeed in
opposition to right principle; may win
by falsehood and dishonest intrigue,
but without basis of principle to
attract and assure men of its good pur.
pose, without truth to lead them, and
without the possible attainment of
purposes worthy their seeking, to re-
ward them, Republicanism is but a
hollow pretense, miserable, inexcus-
BILE sham. Under such conditions it
would be to honest politics what hypo-
critical cant is to religion. 1t may be
that just here some one will ask: Why
demand such nobility of principle and
such strength of purpose from the Re-
publican party, and not from other po-
litical organizations? We answer !;
Because the Republican party was con.
,eived in righteousness and born of |
virtue. Its conception was an inspira-
lion of truth. It's first word was a |
protest against the wrong of slavery,
md its first effort was for the protec-
ion of the oppressed. Its great
achievements have been the emancipa-
ion of the negro slaves, the restora-
ion of the Union, the ennobling of
abor and the making of great Ma
ion of virtuous, intelligent and pros
,erous people on the basis of equality
md fraternity. To lower it's standard
% the level of selfish politics is to blot
is record, and lose the help of the
orces behind the higher law, for the
Ipplication of which to human gov
'rnment the party was formed.
With this resume of the history and
conditions of the Republican party of
he State and Nation, and of the
,olity and line of action necessary for
uccess, we ask: What of the future?
We have intimated that there is work
o be done and that it must begin upon
he last battle field of the party. If
here are dead men there they must be
,uried. If there are any wounded ones
here they must be cared for, and if
here has been any manifestation of
uccessful leadership during the great
contest it must be cultivated and de-
'eloped. If this is not true the les
ons of our recent experience will be
ost and the party will fall back into
condition of factious partisanship.
From onr point of view we see, or
We think we see, two or thrae things
hat are very important. We think,
nd for the sake of the Republican
'arty we think and say it in type in
rider that we may not be misunder-
TODD, that all old claimants for active
leadership in the Republican party
ave been effectually deposed, and that
is absolutely necessary.
We say this without desiring or at
to read any one opt of the
'arty, and hoping the saying of it will
lot result in the loss of anyone's in.
uence for future success. Itmust be,
owever, in the changes incident to
nd inseperable from the life of hu-
nan organizations, that leaders must
e deposed and administrations must
nd. Indeed, frequent changes of this
haraeter are Fundamental in Ameri-
an politics and government. More
yer, the method by which this deposit
ion of leaders has been brought about {
as been approved and made into law {
y custom. Ex-senator Higgins dis |
osed of ;he leaders in opposition to |
i'm by this same method twenty years
60, when he first aspired to and as
umed the authority of leader in the l
arty. He maintained his position by s
be same tactics, and was not fully re-
ogni2ed as the leader, preeminent, un-
il he won the United States Senator.
hip in 1888. After that fight, which {
ras only little less bitter than the
ecent one, all his opponents except |
Ieo. V. Massey, surrendered and the !
enator's authority was supreme in
be politics of the State until his term
Office expired during the recent ses- {
ion of the Gensral Assembly, and his I
nt;ropoopt moo ooufirpood hy N raf,,eal