The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-11-11
GROWTH OF INDEPENDENCE.


 these columns to the many manifesto
 tons of the power of independent
 voters in this state at the late election.
 The phenomenon was not confined to
 Alassa chusetts. It was even more con-
 splcuous ln New York city, and there
 was a great deal of independence in
 places where 1t did not achieve the dis
 tlnctlon of success. Even in Pennsyl-
 wanna, In year when Republicanism
 maintained its prestige unimpaired in
 nearly every other state holding a gen.
 eral election, the independent voters re-
 duced the party majority enormously, besides forcing the Quay-Ashbridge
 ring in Philadelphia to resort to fraud
 ulent voting with freedom and temer-
 lty unequalled, although the immoral
 practice has long been unscrupulously
 indulged. There is, in such indications | of the citizens consciousness, a | large hope for the republic
 Senator Hoar may continue uttering
 his stereotyped sheer at ''mugWumps"
 it will have, as it has had, no convinc- | ing power. In the same speech in which i it occurs he usaully demonstrates that
 his need has no moral value by doing ! his best to induce Democrats to vote for | Republicans. The independents whom
 he objurgates are those who bolt an un-
 worthy Republican machine nomina- | tion. In dependence in Democrats who 1 decline to support an unfit party nom- ination he regards as examplary pa
 triotism and an evidence of intelligent wisdom One needs not go outside of Worcester county for proof that the 1o1t of f1o tn,'- Irini, takes his explosions against independ- ent voting as a Pickwickia,n foible
 However strong may be the hold of
 regularity" on partisan office holders and office seekers, the plain people feel at liberty to vote according to judg- mentment and conscience, and are do- ing it in increasing numbers.
 The tyranny of the boss and the op- pression of party organization are made possible by the doctrine that it is the first duty of the citizen to support the regular nominations of his party, no matter if the nominees are personally not worthy of respect, or are committed i tod octrines and methods which he re- gards as unrighteous So long as this dogma of duty to party, the debasement of political ideals and practices will go on apace It is the support and pro- | moter of Crokerism, Plattism and Quayism Under it's protection selfish party leaders pursue their corrupt . courses in security. Once impressed upon the minds of men who wish to do right that it is wicked and scandalous ! to bolt the party nomination and the . political game may be played unscrup- ulousy without fear of consequences. There are politicians who respect no other moral Ia wthan this one of their own promulgation, and they do not re- spect this when they think some selfish advantage can be gained by breaking it without being discovered.
 The truth is that independence is the normal and only moral attitude of the good citizen who desires to do his duty in his political action. This does not imply that parties are unnecessary, nor that organization Is unnecessary. But the parties and the organizations should be subordinate not paramount; not dictators. The ques- ton of allegiance is not a question of the party, but a question Of serving the right ends of government, a question of conscience, pa- triotism and civic virtue, not of party authority, and it is always a question for the decision of the individual in .a ch case that comes before him for ac- tjon The more complete this funda- mental ideal of government by the peo- ole for the people obtains sway, the ,urer it will be that the nominating ma ,hinery of parties will be used to pro- ( luce the best possible candidates for of 1 Ice. t The most promising field for inde- ,endence and the one in which it is making the most progress with the best ,esults, is in municipal elections. It is I becoming more evident every year that hese are elections with which the na- ional parties as such, should have f practically nothing to say The sub e ects with which municipal officers have T O deal are not>the subjects which are + in national platforms. It I ,appens, therefore, that the chief use a f the machinery of national parties in h municipal elections is to distribute nom & nations to office as rewards of party " ervice. with little regard to what the g uties of the office require and with q hef regard to the strengthening of the fl machine as machine. It may not be t. practicable yet to form permanent mu- S icipal parties on strictly municipal ssues, with organizations independent A f the organization of national parties, omprsing men who differ radically on ational issues, while agreeing upon Il he policy of governing their city. But Il nIess partisan organizations better J erve the cause of local good govern II ,ent, the time will come when distinct C municipal parties will thrive q In desperate emergencies, when the n onor and morality of the municipal fe are concerned such things as ltely happened in New York have e( appened before, and will happen ol gain They show what is possible. st n a smaller scale the same principle fl
 illustrated by the work of volun- tf ,er committees favoring a certain mu- al icipal policy that is wholly unconnect- tF l with national politics, such commit st ,es being often perpetuated from year ic , year, sometimes making indepen- V ent nominations and sometimes re- 10 ,mmending a selection of candidates tf om the partisan lists. Such move Ia ent is the Public School association m this city, which is concerned to se- W Ire the election of members of the tn hool committee who will not use the W
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