Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-10-29
THE SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
A NATIONAL ISSUE.

Croker on the one side and those of Low
and George on the other IS national,
not a local, issue; but it is very diff
ferent one from that which the party
leaders would nave us believe; 1t is the
most fundamental issue presented in any
election since the civil war, and is, in
deed. in its essential elements the same.
The right and the capacity of the
people to govern themselves are always
at issue. and always will be, so long as
selfish men use their skill and strength
for selfish purposes. 1t is for this rea-
son that "eternal vigilance is the price
of liberty" The history of America
has been the history of long campaign
for the maintenance of that right and in
demonstration of that capacity, and 1t
was preceded by a still longer campaign,
of similar character, in England.
Great Britain denied the right of the
American cOlonlsts to self-gOvernment.
and the American patriots demonstrated
their right by demonstrating their Ca
pacity. The secessiOnists, beginning by
denying the right Of the negro to any
measure of self-government. ended by
denying it to the nation. That right.
victorious at Yorktown and at Appomat-
toX, is again in issue, and, though the
battle is local, the issue is national.
Henry George is quite right in saying
that he and Mr. Low are fighting the
same battle-against 1.-THE bosses"
There are only two questions for the
voter in New YORK this November
first, whether he wishes boss rule or
popular rule and, second, if he desires
popular rule, whether he can best secure
il by vote for Seth Low or for Henry
George.
That "boss" rule is not popular rule is
so evident that only he is blind to the
fact who does not wish to see. Mr..
Plat determines that Mr.. Low shall not
be nominated by the Republican conven-
ton, and the convention meets to register
his determination. Mr.. Croker deter
mines that Mr.. Dayton shall not be
nominated, and the democratic conven-
ton meets to register his determination.
One comes from Tioga county, the other
from across the sea, to decide these
questions for their respective parties.
In each case an unwritten law provides
that whoever enters a caucus must agree
beforehand to be bound by its decree.
Most men who are not willing to barter
away beforehand their liberty of indi-
vidual choice remain away; the majority
is therefore composed of the corrupt
and the subservient. The voters at the
ton, Overawed by tumultuous crowds,
and finally refused hearing or a voice
if neither fraud nor tumult sullices to
neutralize their independence. Ia the
Republican convention only a formal
vote is taken: it is cast by one man; in
the Democratic convention one delegate
has the courage to protest that this
method misrepresents him, and that he
has a right to cast his own vote for his
own choice: but the convention refuses
even to hear his protest Such are the
methods within the party by which NOM
nations are forced upon it. The nomi-
nations are made the voter is adjured.
with a solemnity which would be anus
ing were it not so often effective. not to
destroy the party by voting against the
candidate whom the '~boss" has chosen
for 1t. If Independent citizens in either
party dare attempt by independent NOM
nations to make an effective revolt
against this method of dictation, their
moral right to do so is solemnly and We
hemently assailed. They are denounced
as outcasts, traitors, and wreckers. No
epithets are lacking, no appeals TO party
passion are accounted indecOrOus, in the
attempt to crush the revolt. When at
last the campaign opens. it is not left to
be conducted by the citizens of the great
metropolis themselves. Appeals are
sent out to the representatives of the
national parties In other states to inter-
vene. The national administration is
implOred to exert its influence to coax or
cOerce reluctant voters into the support
of a partisan candidate because he is a
partisan. As the campaign progresses
the orators of neither of the two great
parties have anything TO say about the
party against which they are supposed
to be contendlng. The Tammany ora
tors condemn. not the Republican ticket,
but the Independent Democracy: the Re.
publican orators are silent about Tam.
many, and clamorous only against Mr.
Low and, by tacit assent, If not by
definite, prearranged agreement, both
are OminOuslv silent on all municipal
issues. Mr.. Tracy has now delivered
three or four campaign speeches. They
may be reasonably supposed to give his
Interpretation of the questions involved
as he sees them. Concerning municipal
self-government, city parks, clean
streets, police administration, the excise
question, and the relation of city rail
roads to the city government, he has not,
we believe, uttered a single word, unless
the mere general statement that he is in
favor of good government may be so
interpreted.
Mr.. Tracy is a good man and an able
one, though as much cannot, probably,
be said for Mr.. Van Wyck. Stonewall
Jackson was also a good man and an
able one. Both represent the same
cause; the one is fighting as the other
fought, against the right of the people
to govern themselves. Mr.. Tracy's can
dldacy, no less than that of Mr.. Van
Wyck, represents a denial of the peoples
rights tn determine, in a free, uncoerced,
and unpurchased convention, who their
candidates shall be; a denial of their
right to select any candidate except by
means of party machinery; a denial of
any right TO put municipal questions to
the front in a munipal campaign; de-
NAL of any right to do anything except
choose between such candidates and such
platforms as may be put before the
voters by the regular machinery of the
two great national parties.
This issue is accentuated and its impor-