The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-08
PRACTICAL POLITICS.
Mr.. See Calls the Glass to Order and
Delivers a. Lecture.

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
The class in practical politics of the Re-
publican persuasion will take front seats
and hear me for my cause and be silent that
you may hear. / come not to bury the
Republican party. but to praise it for what
it is and for what it has been and done.
and to guard it against foes within ana
without for the sake of its future possible
ties. This is no time for weeping, but for
heart-searching and personal introspection,
with a purpose to learn lesson in prac-
tical politics from the events of the last
few days. First, there comes the echo from
the Iowa campaign, with an object lesson
which it would be suicidal not to study.
There were several local issues in the State
which were given due prominence in the
platform, but the campaign had hardly be-
gun before it was evident that the opposi-
ton intended to fight it out on the single
national issue of 16 to l. and fusion of all
factions that could agree upon this issue
was made. Judge Shaw accepted the chal-
lenges, and, initiating the preacher who
wanted to discuss the devil and took for his
text 1.-THE world, the flesh and the devil
and began by saying: Il will say but little
about the world touch lightly on the flesh
and hasten to the devil as fast as possible,
made only a few passing remarks on the To-
cal issues and then pitched into the silver
ties with an effectiveness never surpassed,
If ever equaled, and the result is the largest
plurality ever given in Iowa since the in
PRODUCTION of the silver question, after seq
regating the several elements that had
combined to defeat Republicanism- That
was a Republican victory, pure and simple.
and that is the way to make one every
time There WAS no dtsempf ve TO pscae
or those others called gold Democrats, but
each was driven to his own, those. going
with the Republicans where they belong.
and those with the Democrats. A political
hybrid is no good even. When the late war
broke out. while every Democratic conven-
ton, from the smallest ward meeting TO
the national convention, resolved against
every war measure, there were tens OF thou
astic as the best Republicans in saving the
Union. These posed for while as war
Democrats but they soon discovered their
mistake and repudiated their party uncon-
ditionally while ii antagonized all war meas
ures, and the Republicans. not to be out
done in concessions to common interest
wholly abandoned their party organization
and united with those on common pat
form, under the title of the Union party,
and there were no RepnpicISsnna s. and
in Indiana such Democrats as DAVID ,.
Gooding were put on electoral tlckeIs WIN
the chief of Republicans, all voting Tor Mr.
lincoln for President That policy won.
That is another, object lesson: taken IN con-
nection with the municipal election IN New
York, and in Indianapolis as well. National
notifies could not possibly be injected into
a municipal election, yet the hepaplcah
machine of New York, preferring the rule
OF Tammany to an ignoring Of the machine,
and not profting by the example OF the Re-
publ!cans of 1864. determined to run a Re-
nubIican at all hazards. The result has
heen inst what every one knew 1t must
he There is a lesson in this that every one
who is studying practical politics should
study well in the light of a fixed quantity
TO begin with. In New York, as in Indian
apoIis there is an element that may al
WAYS be counted on to go with the Demo-
cratic party and which loves to follow the
bosses while there is another element
which always and everywhere despises ma
chinery in party management. A more cor
rl1pt administration in city affairs never
was than the late administration. which
was distinctively Democratic and which
had the regular Democratic contingent well
in hand to begin with. and which could
have been easily defeated by the wise policy
of the Republicans of 1864. but here, as in
New York, the machine would rather that
regime should be continued than to let go
it's grip. These are object lessons that all
who are in practical politics should study.
When, as In Iowa. a national question is i'm
issue. meet ii boldly and aggressively. and
when only local questions are at stake.
make common cause with all who have a
common interest, even if it requires a tenn
porary abandonment of party leadership. II
is all a mistake that the government of a
city is necessarily in the hands of the nom
taxpayers. If taxpayers can be brought to-
gether oR>a nonpartisan PLATFORM but they
never can be while bosses run the ma
chimes II. l. SEE
INDIANAPOLIS Nov g.