The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-22

No Third Party Has Ever Accomplished
Anything Perm snent Are Not Change
( within the Two Parties Likely 20
Bring Emancipation for Women :
Fo~reshsdowInss OF What Is 10 Come
Women Against SUNDAY Opening"
II Is reasonable to suppose that there al
WAYS will be in this country two dominant
political parties. each struggling at every
election 20 wrest control OF the govern
nent from the other. There will be
also several smaller parties composed Of
honest reformers along various lines,
the %disgruntled from the old organizations
and the restless. floating element that
merely wants a change. The shores OF
the last century are strewn with the wrecks
Of third parties, but new ones are con-
stantly being launched. They have their
value as an outlet for extreme radicalism
and AZ a medium for advocating progressive
ideas which in a modified form, are some
times adopted by the older parties. Blu
except by fusing with one Of the latter,
which is invariably done at a sacrifice
of principles. a third party never secures
possession OF the executive or Legislative
branches Of the government. For this
reason, as has been frequently pointed
out, those who are working for the enfran-
chisement Of women cannot hope TO obtain
II through a third party. although almost
every one for the past twenty years has
made IL a plank in its platform. This has
been done partly for the sake Of principle
and partly through the desire for help from
every source. Women are appreoiative
and grateful. but they fully understand
that the suffrage must come through
one or the other Of the two great parties.
II becomes an interesting question, then,
which Of the two II hall be, for that IL will
Be granted ultimately nobody doubts
Women Of Republican procliyities point
with pride to the fact that in every Leg
islature which has passed a suffrage bill
II has been done by Republican votes.
Women OF Democratic tendencies r~etaliate
by showing that on every occasion when a
suffrage amendment has been defeated.
the Republicans have carried the election,
which is ~indisputably true. Only one
Democratic State Convention ever adopted
a woman suffrage ~plank-that of Idaho.
In 1895. Republicans often adopt one-and
then vote against IL. No national convention
Of either party has declared for the measure.
1t seems TO be favored and opposed by
just about the same proportion of Re-
publican and Democratic newspapers.
Up to this time it may be safely affirmed
that it is a strictly non-partlsan question.
Now Is II a chimerical belief that the
wonderful changes which are taking place
In the two old organizations will finally
result in their division on entirely different
lines from those which have heretofore
distinguished them and that one Of the
parties resulting from this new adjustment
will enfranchise women? The practical
advocate Of woman suffrage always has
held that il never would be granted simply
on the ground of its innate justice, but only
because it would be TO the advantage of
some political party. So long as the great
battles were fought on the material issues
Of tariff and currency there was no especial
necessity for the influence Of women. While
men were competent to grapple with them
alone neither party wa able 10 do so in its
original composition. but there was such
. shifting about that when the smoke Of
the conhict had cleared away the old
lines were found 10 be almost obliterated.
These questions doubtless are settled for
q number of years but there never again
will be the same hard and fast division
OF parties. Il there not reason TO believe
that in the future there Will be gathered
into one party the sober, conservative,
sagacious, law-respecting, educated and
industrious elements. and into the other
the Incorporate, radical, visionary. lawless,
ignorant and idle? And " when this time comes
will not the former, II they are TO preserve
their supremacy, be compelled 10 cal women
20 their assistanceY
This division Of parties Is already clearly
foreshadowed in the great cities. Ia New
York u already has taken place, and in
municipal politics IL l. not likely that the
two parties ever will be resolved again
into their original elements IL IL only
In a similar alignment that Philadelphia
can find salvation OF that there IL any hope
for Chicago. Whenever the moral element
h. aTTayed against the immoral IL ~ then
that the men Who represent the former
begin to realize their weakness, but n IN
only low, for tho fret time. hat thsy ars
turning Ia women OF support Even nov
IL 10 done la a de-uliory sort ~ way With
hat lttle conception Of the immenss power
they would prove a. h" II urganiNsd and
equippsd With tho franchise But how
and when can this b. IMPRESSED upon mon
With suric-nt fprns "a stii them % action,
IL Sas hsll.y.d Nv many that tho work q
sonen la the New Y0rk city campaign
va the mOst advanced step TOW ard -s,uruF
the franchise whirh ever had is-rn made
bat, a abort tuns after e~loetion. Distinct
Attorney -slut Jerome haid la a. lut'r,leS
ss1s 10 ~high -qmsn ,aa hop 10 promote
taNesAs thfp haNs iasl a.at CO. 80 as
.as sails ~ hasi 'sulns lurlaa. rau.
sent -, sLai ~ "a. a' sl..l ...
Ad1 fsa uaI BE-. sslauau - ltarn,a a.H1
ss,ls a.. 80 fsf
Me isallf vauli have iarlsHuI fHH
dab g. amIar ruFtas' faf W.I, IIaH
thr kiraD ~ tIu IunIH II.HtH auH.I IaHH
i..a ns dsfrat llsuH. Is.fHals CO., uHu
svuhi lsNr lest ailr d. go slaI thsy
tlsy dH i~ fusl 49, lsfts ulaI ns-d -
atais ahYfilHs H. IaIHF 500 nu..n