The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-19

True independence in politics. as in
other functions Of life. is not to bo con-
fused with neutrality or dscredited by
associating It with the idea of the chronic
kicker.
great many good citizens affect to be-
lieve that Independence in politics Is ir-
reooncilable with party beliefs and party
loyalty. They distinguish as between the
independent and the partisan and fail to
recognize that the resulting independent
party" is as thoroughly partisan body
as the political organizations bearing such
good old fashioned and significant names
as "Republican, Democratic" and
"Prohibitionist
No citizen can be useful to the public
interests of the community in which no
lives, to his commonwealth or to his
country, who holds aloot from politics,
who considers politics dirty business and
boasts of having no political faith and
opinion that he is bound to abide by.
The neutral in politics, tho political
hermaphrotite. and the citizen whose
only part in political affairs is to wait
upon the action of his fellow.ct zens with
the object only Of protesting against it,
OF breaking down rather than of building
up-none of these exert wholesome in
fluence in public life and, as assumed
leaders of opinion, are essentially false
not to be trusted and wholly lacking in
any claim on the confidence of their fellow
citizens.
The true independent Is not ono of those.
He is not to be placed in the same
category with any of them. He is as differ
ent in temperament and motive rs gold
coin is from the spurious shekel. And
the true independent is, by all odds, the
most valuable citizen in any community.
lie is indeed the safeguard of Republican
institutions.
Independent in thought, spirit and
action, he is yet bound to flnu himself in
harmony with goodly number of his fell
low men on certain political principles.
For il is your spurious, your self-sufiioient,
your consequential type Only that main
tains that he alone knew it all and that
the balance of his fellow w-citizens are in
darkness-wbo is the twelfth man on tho
jury standing out doggodly against the
decision Of tho other eleven.
The true independent is neither q
Mugwunp nor Goo-Goo. He claims a
political afliliation that he will fight. IL
need be, to maintain. He does not itch
to leave his party for tho sake OF a
misguided sense of Independence and he
| will not allow himself to be frozen out
| IL he can help it. He will participate
| in the councils of his party and con-
| tribute all the influence he can bring to
bear to keep that party up to the standard
| that originally commanded his loyalty.
He will keep a critical eye on its men
ana measures and he vigilant ana vigor-
Gus to the end that the men it puts up
and the measures it puts forward are of a
kind creditable to his party and SO to him
self ms n member of 1t. While he will not
allow himself to be ruled by ring or
prophets in tho ranks. on the other hand he
will not dodge the issues within tho party
or abandon it and attempt to bring about
its overthrow because he cannot always
have his own way, regardless of tho honest
purposes of his fellow which. for the time
being, may chance to differ from his own
view.
When the true independent is man
gifted with the royal faculty Of leader
snip. he is indeed power in his party
and in the state.
No ring can rule him, no boss dictate to
him.
He does not run with the machine.
Nol He rules the ring. The party boss
bows to him. The machine responds TO
his influence.
Tho strength of parties Is in such men.
The interests OF all tho people are con-
served by him and his fellows. Where
such men are active in the state. govern
rnont is for the welfare of tho state and
all its people.