The Saint Paul globe., 1904-04-11
MONDAY, APRIL II, 1904.
FREE LANCES.

Inc man VINO, engaged IN ac1Ve
party politics, gives it out in advance,
or even asserts it to himself, that he
will not support the ticket if a certain
candidate shall be nominated, comes
perilOusIy near sacrificing his right to
party affiliations. For one Of the neces-
stiles of party existence is acquiescence
in the will of the majority. But the
man who selects his own personal pref
erence among candidates in advance,
and then gives it out that, unless this
man shall be nominated, he proposes to
bolt, has already forfeited all right to
bear any party name, to receive any
party consideration or to sit in any
party's councils. He has become mere
ly a free lance.
One would think this so obvious that
there could be no failure to perceive it.
Nevertheless there are still those who
take the preposterous position that
they can act with a political party,
take advantage of it's solidarity, it's
discipline and the attachment of voters
to the party name to secure support
for their favorite, use it for their pur-
poses as long as there is still a possi-
bility Of success, and all the while ad-
init or even willingly proclaim that
they do not intend to snpport the party
but to secede from it and do every
thing in their power to beat it If it
shall not see fit to nominate the man
who happens to be their choice.
This is mere political anarchy. and
should be treated as such. We do not
for an instant deny the right of po-
litical independence on the part of the
Individual which we highly respect.
We concede freely the right of every
man to vote for such candidate as he
pleases and to work for any one he
prefers. We do not grant the right to
do so under false pretenses. If a man
call himself Democrat he should re-
lInqulsh the name and the associa-
ttons that go with it unless he is ready
to follow where Democrats lead. But
no man has a title to apply any party
designation to himself, to participate in
any party's activities or to ask for any
party's support if he asserts in advance
that he will desert and oppose it unless
1t shall happen to select for honors the
particular individual whom he has
selected as his favorite No party can
exist on such a basis; and none con-
tanning more than a single voter as its
total membership would live or de-
serve to live through successive cam
paigns.
There has been too much of this as
sumption Of the right to boss in recent
years, especially among Democrats.
Men Of different opinions have been too
ready to say that, If such or such a one
should be nominated, they would not
support the ticket. That declaration.
while yet the members Of a party are
taking counsel together, breeds bad
blood and tends to bring about the very
end that is feared. But what are we to
say of those bIusterers who, not satis-
fed with anything as mild as that, Sc
lect a candidate for themselves and
then declare that the party must take
its orders from them under pain of a
mutiny?
One may be very sure that an ulti-
matum thus delivered represents evil
advice invariably; because no man would
so commit himself who understood or
respected the first principles of party
government or thad-the faintest attach
ment to the party association. 1t IS
human nature, and it is also essential
wisdom, that such a threat should
drive away those who otherwise might