The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-25
The Noppartisan Swindle.

The Noppartisan Swindle.
Local theatergoers during the past
year have been able to drive away dull
care with some pleasing comedy. tune
full operstta or bright and merry farce;
but In all the list there has not been
q performance 30 full of clever acting
and ridiculous situations A. Is the nom
partisan extravaganza in which several
wen known citizens have been playing
the roles Of lightning change artists.
The nonpartissn movement was start
ed with the presumption that 1t was to
be what its name implies--a union Of
people OF all parties In the cause OF good
city government. Party lines and dis
tinctions were 10 be ignored. Well
meaning people Of every faith were to
come together In q sort OF citizens ALI
ance. and ticket was to be named
which should represent the best intel
ligencs OF the community and act for
all the people without recognition OF
the rlghts or even the existence OF any
Political organization. The idea. al
though an impracticable one. had be-
hind Il men OF sincere purpose, and they
were entitled to a hearing
No sooner had the movement taken
shape than Its direction fell into the
hands Of those who saw fit to make use
Of It for the purpose Of advancing the
interests OF certain factions which had
various economical. SOCIOLOGICAL or poiit-
ioal ends TO attain. II became the cruz
sade not Of the great body OF citizens
desiring good government but Of few
fractional leaders who at once usurped
authority and began negotiations as the
seif-appointed emIssaries OF what may
be termed a distinct party, There was
no general mass meeting or POPULAR up
rising OF representative people. The In
ner circle OF active agents was not Sc
iected by q general assembly OF citi-
Gems, IL was created out OF small
clique OF manipulators with sinister mo-
tives and few dupes who were brought
IN and hypnotxed by plausible talk.
Everything was behind closed doors; all
was secrecy: nonpartisanship was tax
ing on such shape that It's advocates
skuiked in the darkness and did their
work after the fashion Of the knight OF
the Jimmy.
A ticket was nominated. but Il was
not, as the more earnest and creduious
thought. In order that all citizens Of ev-
cry faith might step forward and sup
port H. II was put up merely for traf-
f,cking purposes. The nonpartlsan idea
had evaporated, The object now was
for the small party Of consplrators 10
approach other small parties OF con
spiratcrs with the idea OF trade. 10 sell
portion OF the offices Just ss merchan-
disc Is sold ON the Yukon or Green lake
lots were peddied on, ten years ago.
The arst essential whieh the fathers
Of the movement, had agreed upon was
that It's nonnolitical integrity should not
be sssailed and therefore that Il should
bear a name by which u could IN no
way be Identified with any existing po-
iislcsi organization. The conspira,ors
swep, this aside and the nonpartisan
agents guaranteed that each one OF
their followers should be iassoed,
thrown down and branded Democrat"
A second essential was that nonpar-
ussn movement must necessarily look
for support to citizens, and not 10 par
tisans. and that the call must be 10
all good people who would drop
party lines for the time and Join In the
movement free from all party consider
atoms. The agents Of the eonspirators
swept this aside and immediately began
an exchange Of wares with Democrats.
populssts and Silver Republicans. the
fundamental principle of the exchange
being recognition of the existence and
claims of parties. A third essential was