Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-02
|NOEPENDENT|hACTI
Charles A. Walsh Resigns for
Many Reasons.
WILL SUPPORT PRINCIPLES
Nothing Worse, He Declares, Than the
yellow Party" idea.
VIOLATIONS OF PRECEDENT
Iowa Member Of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee Sends Out an Open
Letter to His Party.
VIOLATIONS OF PRECEDENT

UTTUMWA, Iowa, September 1.-Mr.
Charles A. Walsh. the Iowa member of the
democratic national committee, and who
was secretary of the national committee
during the two Bryan campaigns. has ten
dered his resignation as a member of the
national committee, giving his reasons for
so doing In the following letter, which was
mailed today:
Uttumwa, Iowa, September 1, 1906.
Hon. Thomas Taggart, French Lick. Ind.
Dear Sir: Permit me to herewith hand
you. as chairman of the democratic national
committee, my resignation as a member
thereof, representing the state Of Iowa
thereon.
Ordinarily would not deem it necessary
to make known my reason for taking such
action, but having finally determined upon
1t, in view of the fact that 1 have been
elected and twice reelected to the national
committee, covering a period OF twelve
years and prior thereto having been MEM
br of the state, congressional and other
committees during the entire period OF m!
life, since arriving at my majority; and
knowing that such resignation, coming al
what might prove to be an inopportune
time. SO far as the interests Of my own
friends and loyal supporters are concerned
will meet with some criticism upon their
part should 1t go unexplained, l give you
therefor reasons which viii show that l
could in honor pursue no other course.
For the future I intend to be in posi-
ton to support, or not support, as may see
fit, the candidates of the democratic party.
1 have reached the conclusion that the
perpetuation of corrupt corporations, boss.
control of political affairs is made possible
by the slavish subserviency of the indl-
vidual to party name and by lack of inde-
pendent action.
While 1 have heretofore always been
known as partisan democrat, and will al
ways be a stanch supper .er of democratic
principles as 1 understand them. it has been
steadily borne in upon me for long time
as / came closer and closer to knowledge
OF the inner workings OF the party system
that from the standpoint of true democracy
there can be nothing worse or more in
furious to the country than the yellow
dog party feeling that impels good men to
support a ticket of unfit nominees merely
because they bear the party label.
Two Contending Factions.
Within the democratic party, as within
the republican, there are two contending
factions. the vastly more numerous, but
during ordinary times, the least influential,
being the great rank and file which believes
in the principles of Jefferson, a diffusion
of power. constant opposition to every
form of special privilege. asking for them
selves nothing but equal rights and Op-
portunity before the law. The other fac
ton. numerically insignificant, but repre-
senting the predatory forces of special priv
ilege and those who seek to use all gov
eminent as an asset to their private bust
ness is. by reason of wealth and lack of
conscience in using 1t, vastly more power
full and usually controls the party plan,
it's organization and it's nominees.
The first of these factions ordinarily
pays very little attention to the matter of
securing control of the organization, but
loyalty supports its own party candidates:
while the other deems the organization OF
prime Importance. securing the nominees,
If possible, but in any event making sure
of control of the party machinery, con-
scious that II candidates opposed to It's in
terests are named they may be easily and
quietly betrayed at the polls If the cam
paign management is in their hands.
AS an instance Of how important the cor
poration element believes control Of ma
violation of all party precedent in the APP
pointment Of the present democratic ma
tional executive committee.
The executive committee had always,
prior to the campaign of 1904, been appoint
ed chiefly (and so far as my recollection
goes wholly from the regularly elected
members of the national committee and
usually being made up of those members
from the more doubtful states which it was
necessary to carry In order to elect How
was the real campaign organization formed
in 1904?
Seven Executives.
An executive committee was made up.
carefully limited to seven members, and
those seven members were William F. Shee-
han. chairman. of New York city; August
Belmont Of New York city. James Smith,
tr. Of New Jersey. Thomas F.. Martin Of
Virginia, James NJ. Guffy of Pennsylvania,
John R. Mclean Of Ohio and the city of
Washington and Timothy E. Ryan Of Wis
consin.
The first four mentioned were not and are
not members Of the national committee.
Sheehan, formerly a discredited Buffalo
politician, builder OF the most vicious politi-
cal machine ever known in Erie county. ar
rested for the fragrant violation of the civil
service law, his machine finally routed and
he practically driven from Buffalo, is now
with his partner, Judge Parker, one Of the
chief of corporation lawyers of New York,
representing among others the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company, and has repre-
scented in legislative halls and the courts
Consolidated Gas, Edison Electric and many
others. He is a director in the Cord Meyer
Development Company, the company lately
caught stealing the city's water on Long
Island. and in many other corporations.
Belmont is the head of the American
branch of the famous European banking
house of the Rothschilds. He organized the
company that captured the New York sub
way He is director in about thirty spe-
maintains legislative bureau with a press
annex. and is notorious for his lobbying
methods. He is leading promoter of horse
racing and race track gambling.
Smith was formerly the iron-fisted boss
of the Essex county machine, the friend and
tool Of William c. Stickney, reputed friend
Of Gov. Abbott of New Jersey, but be-
trayed him in his senatorial fight in 10O1
and had himself elected to the United
States Senate. While in the saddle as boss
of the state of New Jersey the gravest
frauds were revealed in that state. and in a
whirlwind of public resentment he and the
| driven from ~.
| the party power has never been regained
| in New Jersey. In the Senate he was the
| same corporation tool. co-worker with Cor
| man and Brice. His last appearance in the
! limelight was as receiver OF the Inter-
national Shipbulding Company, when he
! asked 100000 fee, although the work was
| largely done by attorneys; his bond was
only 100000, and the total sum passed
through his hands were only s1.l25 600 in
| the aggregate. The attorney general OPP
| posed this and the Zee was cut down.