New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-23
INDEPENDENCE.

Somehow tn, people Of this country always
did Ike to be- free and independent Back in the
days when one George OF England wanted to
exercise arbitrary power. they accepted priya-
ton for seven years In order 10 get rid Of him.
and his undcrngs. and his pretended right 10
rule Much later. when "A ve-hOlding arts
tocracy imagined II could dictate TO the people.
they chccrfully faced all the losses Of Il great
war in order to put end To that notion, and
incidentally pn, an end 70 the Savc.hodng and
the arlstocracy also The Infinitely more vulgar
and corrptlng mastery OF political trckstcrs
has for some years been threatening 10 deprive
the people OF their right 10 govern In various
States or In The Nation. but never has 50 offen-
slycy asserted itS purpose ~ II has this year.
The consequence IL 4 new proof that these pco-
pie are, and OF right ought 10 be. free and in
DEPENDENT" and the declaration Is made with II
degree ~ unaumlty which seems 10 have
knocked all the ont of men formerly CON
sldcrcd shrcwd and capable
Government by the many and government by
the few differ radically In this. that the few
almost inevitably get into the habit OF caring for
their private interests and friefs and ambitions
and forgetting all about the welfare OF the
millions OF plain people who are expected TO
vote ~ their natural rulers tell them 10 vote
But the theory " our Government is that the
desire of the millions shall first find free express
sion In the choice Of those who can best give
voice 10 II. and then shall get 1t expressed
through conventions and Legislatures and Con
crosses. The political manager has no business
10 be anything but Il servant Of that desire, man
chosen because Of his experience and faculty OF
organization 10 give most speedy and full effect
10 the decision which the people themselves first
freely make.
When IL comes 10 pass that this servant Of the
millions usurps the crown Of dictatorship: when
he uses his trust as manager to select instr,l-
ments Of his personal will instead Of men to
carry out the will of the party; when he picks
trained and often INSCRIPTIONS men, who are
bound to him by corrupt motives, to thwart the
will OF the people, and practically TO rule them in
each ward or county. acting with no respect
whatever 10 the wishes OF voters, but purely as
the tools Of the dictator; when men are fastened
upon the party as candidates for the Legislature
who care nothing for the peoples will, but only
for the master Whose faculty Of controlling cor
rupt influences they wish to have at their COM
mand; when laws are enacted for the sole p,ir-
pose OF increasing the coriupting power and the
patronage of tho dictator, and thus more cnfcc-
tually dcpriv!ng the people Of their freedom
then 1t comes To pass that Americans presently
begin TO care more for smashing such machine
than they ordinarily care for the immediate sue
cess Of any party.
Tammany and the Ncw-Jcrsey ring and other
combinations like these in various States have
ruled the Democratic party for years. Some of
the results have been witnessed within the last
Presidential term. One Of the causes of inces-
SAINT and deadly dlSc0rd in the Democratic ranks
Is that the voters have been to so great IN extent
mIzzled and handculrcd and deprived of power
to direct the policy Of the party they were ex-
pecied TO support. The Republican revolution
against that sort of dictation has not been long
delayed 1t has for the first time In many wears
elected TO n national convention clear majority
of delegates instructed and pledged 10 support
one man, not a general Of victorious armies. or
President deserving honor for past services.
but private citizen Governor Mckinley had
not even the power to direct any political NIL
chine In his own State hut the political mana
gers there, as in many other Republican States.
felt the will Of the people and obeyed it. In
States where the political managers have AZ.
tempted to defeat and defy It. the consequences