New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-26
OI-EER INDEPENDENCE.

1t is curious trait of some enthusiastic hun
partisans that makes them distrust ther own
chosen idols unless they become the P'r"s""
opponents Of the parties whose ala Is aSNeu iA
electing them 10 office. The same persons WIZ
last year protested to Mr.. Low that as niuci,
as they admired him and believed he "ouin
make an ideal Mayor yet they couid not sup
port him if the Republicans by chance holii-
mated him first, and so compelled him TO chooSe
between giving the Republican organization
pretext for opposing him, or ny refusing w
respond TO the popular movement Tor Ills GU"
djdacy which these partisan on-parus"nS
Joined with unwise Zea bringing TO h'uel'
the whole moral force Of the principe 'ha' ci''-
zons have political rights outside OF par'leS
these same persons are now while protesting
that they want Colonel Roosevelt for GoVerhoI'
beginning 10 hint that nc has surrendered hil'-
self into the hands of machinlsts by refusing
consent TO put his name on their nche''
They could not elect him. They could only give
him at the most few thousand votes WHICH
might In q close election be a balance OF power
but the great majority of winch Wouiu ~ e'''
ANYWAY for him simply for his own SAKE ho
matter under what emblem his name appeared
ON the ballot They expect the RepuDhcahs 10
nominate him and furnish the bulk OF his Vo'e'
and they wished him 20 run as a hepupiic"h W
the extent of gathering these votes ana at inc
same time expected him to lend his haine "
them in aid of a movement or possible Deheii'
TO himself, but Of distinct disadvantage 10 'he
party whose support they ask MN 10 seeh' IL
Mr.. Roosevelt would have run as an ihdepeh-
dent and Republican he would be all 'ia'
they could desire But as he VIII OH! run
as a Republican they are not quite sure 'hat he
isn't a bad man in disguise. And YET 'ilese
people pretend TO be nonpartisans. VINO want
10 vote for good men regardless OF party. Inc!
proclaim that they vote for men, not parues
md then say that to be worthy OF support
man must join their party
Now. is this lust fair? Because Colonel
Roosevelt thinks il wise to have his name ap
near ONLY once on the ballot Is it quite large
minded. generous heightened Of these indie
nendepts to assume that his motives are un-
worthy? They should be careful not 10 I'M
tate the bosslsm which they profess to hght
II IS conceivable that Mr.. Roosevelt or any
other man whose courage and independence In
office were not TO be questioned might thlnK
there was something on earth more important
than the size of his personal vote or the Illus
tration OF an academic theory of non-partisah-
ship. The next Secretary of state. the next
Controller and the majority OF the next Legs
lature are going 10 be Republicans or Demo
Gratis. II Mr. Roosevelt aided movement TO
bring himself votes nj the expense of the rest
of the ticket he would not be promoting indie
pendence in the least but would simply be
helping TO provide himself with Democratic as
sociates in the State government and enabling
Mr. Croker TO thwart him at every step. He
would be making possible free-silver Senator
from New-York. For the sake Of pleasing some
players at non-partisanshp he would be risk
ing all the substantial things that he and they
alike desire TO achieve. Moreover. his char
acteristic sense OF fair play might well lead
him to feel that, regardless OF these issues OF
State he owed 1t as matter OF good comrade-
ship not to desert his colleagues. and 10 think
that a ticket that Is good enough 10 run on Is
good enough 10 support. That may not he the
esoteric philosophy Of -parisanship, but II
Is straightforward manliness.