The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-29

the city to either.
Tho political parties in tho United States, and
there are only two now worth speaking oil, the
and tho Republican, have always
sto2d for two different. conflicting theories OF
government, or two distinct policies. The ono
has favored tho doctrines of decentralization
and loisses Jaire. The ether has favored the
of Capitalization and governmental
control. Men OF like political temperament
have been brought into the same party, and they
have applied their fundamental doctrines in the
determination of their parties as to the policy
Of government generally. national, State, and
local. They hnvo always preferred to intrust
tho government Of tho locality to mon of tho
same fundamental political belief, provided,
however. that these men were competent and
honest.
The right Of retirement or revolt from party
has always been recognized. Tho Qualifications
are, for the first, complete change OF belief: and,
for the second, the necessity for a protest
against temporary policies, or the incniciency,
incapacity, or dishonesty OF particular candi-
dates. Where members Of n party do not desire
to sever their alliance with the party In nation
and State, they have never done SO in localities
save for a single cause, namely, the u%ntltncss of
the party's local nominees. Where these nomi-
nces are in all respects tit. and particularly
where they are superior even to the nominees of
the opposing party, there never has been. ana
never can be, any sound reason for n party
man deserving his State and national party in
n local contest. To assert otherwise, and at the
same time to claim that one is n member of the
State and national party. is to be guilty OF n
contradiction in terms. and to betray the COM
pletest POSSIBLE insinccrity, because such an as.
scrtion and such conduct can involve only the
desire FOR the destruction of the party itself. In
localities. the State and national parties arc rep
rescntative of all classes OF the community.
Whereas, a purely municipal party is almost
necessarily n class or a personal party pure and
simple, For instance, Tammany Hall. which
has always been n municipal party first and ma
tional party second, has always been distinctly
the party OF the classes who are hostile to good
government.
The dream OF tho abolition of party in national
affairs Is admitted BY all to be a vain and hope
less thing. and so long as these parties exist the
dream OF tho creation alongside OF them OF a
series OF new municipal parties is equally vain.
Tn, fact ia hovcver TINT Wa now hayc in tho
fold no municinel Marty whatever. hut two
Democratic n,rtics. each claiming regularity:
rho Repuhlican marty. and four factions of the
Democratic marty under the leadership OF GER.
t,in rchoIIiors Dcuocr,,io leaders and dis,a,is.
fad p.nuhlicans This fourth marty ia In
rc.,i,v , marty of odds md .nds which
has entered tho war for guerrilla service
and for n .;pyle comnaign That /, r.cop.
Via, tho vcat,ess n, n. NV, nosi.ion
il nrov.n no, only nv i,s nomination OF State
oeicers-tba, ia m saw ncmhcrs Of the Assembly
I'm, nv tho fact that ito chief charge AGAINST tho
Renu hlic,n marty in a con,es, which II declared
IN he nura,v loc.i "a No, that m. marty has mis-.
oduini,roto al ,bo ,f,irso, Now Work citv flor
I, h,s M, h.en in novcr for may rcarsI hut
| tina, its leader misrules and misruides the Leris.
lature ~ tho state. which ia a question Of stat.
no,,,,os 49,. "a si,,rlo. ,,d ,ao, I'M, No, lo,s.
tho wil,ingness NJ Tho Cttizans' candidate 70
heod . n,tion, Al marty column viz. that n, thc
ia n.moor.or ,,hicb co,t,;ra Tho corrtv
,;c,.., n, T,mu.nr u.u. while his coup.y ,ict.t
,,,ooro :, ono,hor ,o,io,,I marty column ,t,ho
hoad ~ ,,hicb IA NJ uo,-v Goor-c
Until recon. wears nar,ics were voluntary or.
.,ni,,tiors u,tpowr IN rho lave Ina,c,d .,
opr grovir. away from marty yov,rnn,ept how.
over the tendency ia cyac,,v in tho other d;-cc.
tion. Parties mr., now RECOGNIZED bv law in
numbcrIess statutes. and even nv the Constitu.
tion Of the State. and they are recognized ne
existing not only as national and State, but as
Ioca, nartic, also. w. nre told that tho oh.
iect ~ tho last Constitutions Convention
In sen,ra,,np tho election for local officers
from the election OF state and national
oa,ccrs vas IN minimize ,he influence
of State and national p,rtle, in local
affairs. No ono need hesitate in snvinc that this
ia .bsoIutelv untrue M such object was 1T.
temnted or sought. What was sought. and thai
only was, thar the elections should be severed
Z, such manner as 10 make II easier for every
voter 70 mass upon the questions raised
wherever there should be n conflict between
apparent local interests and apparent state
interests. But there was no desire on the
mar, NJ the convention to indicate that whcr,
local and state interests ran ION all fours the
stat. marty should be considered an non.exis,
emit for local purposes. Under the old system
the temptation 10 trade state for local offices
Nv local for national offices was So great tina,
INV menns for reducing the tempration from
loca, compsigps has Wrought tnc desired resuI,
The neonle neglect their ~politlcal and part,
duties as i, ia. VIII II be coatended that the,
will ottend IN ,hen hotter in the future II ",
have ,wicc as many partios Ms We have now
IN m. ether hand would /. NOT he better +,
uti,ize the existing parties rather than GREAT,
nnmber,ess new. small. Temporary ones. and I,
~ IT, ~ -.