New-York tribune., 1900-08-13
THE INDEPENDENT VOTE

As election approaches a great deal is heard
about the Independent vote. Each party is on
the lookout for it. and politicians are asking
themselves what it is worth and how far it
viii pay them TO consider it Some of the advo-
Gates Of machine politics in this State, with the
blind courage Of their subserviency, urge that 1t
is Of no account and that the Republican party
should be guided in nominating candidates for
State offices purely by the sentiments of the
active organization politicians. They say that
the 2,103 votes cast for Theodore Bacon in 1898
and the equally Insignificant Good Government
vote here in 1895 fairly measure the indepen-
dent strength at the ballot box.
Is this fair estimate, which political leaders
can trust In when making their calculations to
win the election? Regardless Of its truth, it
may be a good enough Morgan till after the
nominations for those whose purpose is directed
70 machine nominations but for others more
concerned with strengthening the party as
whole and winning victory for the party candi-
dates In this State accuracy Of judgment is Of
great Importance. Any impartial examination
Of the question with the sole desire to reach
the truth will make it evident that the indie
pendent vote is something entirely different
from and vastly larger than the vote cast for
hopeless tickets Of protest and impracticabiIity
II 1t were not so, the relative strength of parties
would not change from year to year. The inde-
pendents are not TO any considerable degree per-
sons who use that word as their party descrip-
uon. Most Of them are Republican or Demo
cratic in their political affiliations but are think
ing men before they are partisans They are
the men who make the pendulum Of power
swing back and forth And in this State that
force is anything but inert
The vote which without any personal obiec-
non 10 Secretary Folger expressed disapproval
OF machine methods employed TO force his nom
ination was an independent vote The vote
which few years later buried MAYNARD and
then Hill under tremendous adverse maiorities
was an independent vote. The vote which re-
fused 10 follow either party machine here in
1897 and supported Seth Low to the number
Of 10000 was an Independent vote. This
trait Of independence one year is manifested
most largely by men more or less identified
with the Republican party and another year by
hose connected with the Democracy II has
20 necessary connection with third party tick
Pts. but is rather opposed to them. 1t is in
tensely practical, and by the same force with
which il breaks away from party ties IL goes
directly 10 the point at issue untrammelled by
calls 10 political side shows
in estimating the strength and probable ar
ton Of tie independents at any particular time
il IS of course. necessary 10 consider the cOndi-
tions then existing. To say that the tremen-
dous majority against Maynard in 1893 meas
ured the strength Of independent sentiment this
year would be Is ridiculous as to say that the
trifng Bacon vote Of 1898 was its maximum
Clearly Maynard was defeated by great moral
uprising which is no criterion of the ordinary
ebb and flow Of the tide. 1t was time of flood
quite beyond calculation But year after year
when there is no extraordinary feeling like that
which after a long period Of Democratic
ascendency gave this State overwhelmingly and
repeatedly 10 the Republicans the relative
strength of the parties shows remarkable varia-
ZION; and in almost any year the independents