The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-15
IS NON. PARTlSANSnIP
POSSIBLE?

<sSS<S<S~S<S>SS NSSSS<s)
Mayor Jones. of Toledo. ia quoted in tho
morning papers as saying that In the
campaign in Ohio the noupartisan idea
has won great victory and that he be-
l.eves the neral forces will induce the leg
isiatore OF Ohio 60 pass municipal code
commission bill. which provides thai every
municipal officer In Ohio shall be elected on
a nenaar,isan plan. thus doing away with
politics in municipal affairs
There is Enthusiastically rising sentfnene
In favor Of better government In our great
cities. and this growing sentiment Is Que
10 the bold and onscrupuious conduct or
men who through the Indifference Of good
men have found themselves at the helm.
Chicago has regular spasuss for munich
pal purity, and there has come to he a very
decided movement on the part of good men
TO support clean candidates at the poiiSs
irrespective Of party ties hut as yet this
movement has demonstrated little else than
that It drew some excellent men out OF all
parties. who. il their zeal had been all Il
ought TO have been. mign. have resulted In
the placing OF desirable men upon the tick
ct Of their choice.
The spring elections are unsavory enough.
and IL you want 10 know the very worst
about a candidate in Chicago. Jet him pass
in srcview before the Civic Federation.
Women have entered into the spring
| Adams made IL very interesting for q Ger
| tain candidate for alderman, who was
known to he for everything that was bad
in government instead OF good.
| Nonpart!sanship sounds well: there II
soriething uplifting in the thought that
ore may possibly rise aeove his party
| prejudice and vote for 4 candidate OF op-
/ posite party convictions Just because he
| is q clean man, but 1t Ii f,ne point just
| how far "a campaign can progress without
| It's taking on strong partisan tendencies,
no matter how attractive the nonpartisan
| theory sounds.
Parties grow. First, the seed. planted in
a speech or dropping from the pen % a
| ready writer, takes root. The seed thought
may be for municipal purity. bur no soon-
| er It is scattered than others begin TO
/ think along parallel lines. and that very
moment a new party 10 born II may be
| third party. may never command a SUI
ficient number OF ballots to antitIe 1t to u
| place on the official ticket. hut It is mono
| the less partisan.
| Parties are vast machines rings within
rings. wheels within wheels. and l say
| machine" fully conscious that they do not
always stand for everything that Il best.
The political boss IT, however, at tho
helm-his quick eye detects evsry weak
| spot. and he knows that the 'ninutest por-
icn OF that wheel, the least ring, out Of
worthy OF acceptance that the kind and
quality OF the machine Ia more worthy OF
| criticism than anything else.
That municipal politics offers a vast field
| for reform no one denies, but lust how
soon nonpartisan movement win bring
these reforms il the question at issue.
| Webster tells us that politics Ii that part
Of ethics that treats OF the science OF gov
ernment." Government is essential to 500
oiety, We cannot conceive Of q state OF so.
ciety without II. and the really trying
problem that every student must face. 10
how TO Waken Mp every unit 30 the linz
portance OF careful study Of II. There
should be compulsory training schools for
the study OF political ethics. and every
voter should be able to toll why he IL a
| Democrat why he il a Republican. and to
give clear reason for tho faith that Is In
him.
A third party must always occupy q
! unique and commanding place In the dis
cuss!ons OF public policy. and a. the come
outer usually stands for ideas that arc
progressive. he must expect to run tho
| gauntlet OF conflicting opinions, and no
matter what comes or goes. to run. and
| keep on running. calling about meanwhile
For eoIne-oatsr there 10 wide place
md free lance. and the beauty of It II
that you know where he stands.
Were I a unit In government. and oppos-
ed 10 certain conditions they exist
would ny IA flag with clearly defined issues
appearing thereon and rally az many like
| minded units to It's support as possible. but
l would not go under the tag OF ponpar-
tisanship 10 hit a question like that which
Is now pending In the Philippines and OF
such great Importance.
The reform most needed In politics today
liz that sort OF revival spirit that will
! awaken in the hearts Of the host men
| strong convictions Of their duty at the pri-
msries. and it's worth while for the Ohio
legislature and all legislatures to discuss
the advisahllisy Of some compelling law
that will bring the best men OF the nation
to the primaries 70 do their duty then and
there. Perhaps II the legislature OF Ohio
would pass law. firm AZ a law could be
made. setting forth the fact that whoever
i lodged his duty at she primary should
forfeit his ballot on election day. there
would be n mighty clearing up In the poii-
teal atmosphere Of Ohio. that by example
would be- helpful TO other states. leaving an
impress for good In every nook OF Uncle
Sans domain.
Thoughtful men have strong convictions
about gold. silver. tariff. free trade. ex-
pansion. and these convictions lead them
| sometimes to vote for candidates whom
they do not admire. bn, who agree with
them on THESES particular questions. and II
may he. added that they believe these aues-
items 10 be Of vital importance. and are
conscientious about IL and. rs great ma
tiousi elections hang upon these issues.
they are not unmindfui OF the Importance
Of the spring campaign as IL relates TO tho
fail campaign. or of the ward returns In
their hearing upon the national .isetions.
IL long since passed into a proverb. that
as "goss a certain ward IN New York city.
go goes the city. and an goes the City. 70
goes IA. state"
In schooi elections II would seem that he
very best man should win. irrespective %
rarity politics, hut AZ che present outlook
the mayer Of Toledo win have been gather
ed 20 his fathers long before uonpartisan-
ship ia municipal and ia tinual politics viii
have erystaiizei into natogitIss.
MARION H. BAXTER.
Z
Plain Talk From N Nebraska Jury.