Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-01-13
MUdWUMPISM GROWS.
HAS BECOME A LEADING
FACTOR IN POLITICAL LIFE
REVIEW OF LEADERS WHO HAVE
BROKEN LOOSE WHEN THE
PARTY WAS CONTROLLED
BY BOSSES.

Washington, d. c.. Dec. 2S.-1f the
campaigns of this year, although of
minor importance, have a place in FLU.
ture history, II will be because of the
notable acquisitions to "mugwumpery'
as opposed TO political machines The
marvellous part of the situation is the
freedom with which big men political.
ly have handled the local situations
from the stump and in their public ut.
terances. The spirit Of Theodore
Roosevelt, who says what he thinks
when he feels like II, has been ram.
pant. Reform within the big political
parties has been the keynote of the
campaign. II is the Roosevelt party
against all Corners
Secretary of State Root set the pace
in the Philadelphia crusade by refer
ring to the old Quay machine leaders
who had tried to rob the city as graft.
crs' Incorporating as Republicans"
That tart speech was the hub of the
Philadelphia campaign. II made thou
sands Of independent votes at the com.
ing election; 1t contributed much
to the life of the city party campaign
e It was not one of the contributing
elements which made that campaign
possible; II was the gun that doomed
O warning up and down the Delaware.
In Maryland Senator Isadore Rayner
| has risen to oppose the Poe amendment
against his colleague. fellow party man
and party leader. Senator Arthur Pua
| German. II was the sole issue upon
which his party is making its cam
| paign In Maryland, yet Senator Ray.
ner rose up to say that he would
rather go down to defeat than see that
amendment, whose purpose is to dis.
| franchise the negro voters, a part OF
| the law OF the state. The surprising
part Of the situation Is that he has
/ the support of most Of the leading Dem.
oCrats Of the state. Twenty years ago
| q "mugwump" of that kind would have
| been read out Of the party and the in.
Cident closed. As II is, Senator Cor.
man, boss and autoCrat, could only
make the best of bad situation.
Secretary OF War Taft returned
| from a trip to Ohio. where II was
unoiTiCially announced he launched his
| boom for the presidency in 1908. 1t Is
q remarkable fact that in that speech
the secretary took occasion to advise
| the voters of Ohio to vote for the State
Republican city ticket nominated by
Boss George W. Cox in Cincinnati.
"Boss" Cox was among those who in.
dorsed Taft for Judge on the federal
bench when Mckinley nominated him.
Independent talk like that twenty
years ago would have brought down
the curses Of machinedom on his head
| rather than being coupled with even
an unofficial statement that the speak.
or would be a candidate for President
over In New oYrk Jerome was the
chief champion of independence. He
was the one Independent candidate of
Importance in a field of party tickets
and as such is laying his fail regard.
less of whom II hits. Hearst bolt.
ed his party-the party which he
sought to lead as its candidate for Pres.
ldent only year ago. Jerome and
Hearst were the sensations of the hour
In the campaign. They are mug.
wumps" on principle II Is possible
that the principle of the one Is too new
and too impraCtlcable to gain much
favor at this time and that the prin.
Ciplos of the other have made him too
many enemies to secure the coveted
results, but they will leave a mark.
Furthermore, neither will be partic.
ularly disCredited because he made a
'mugwump" fight.
II Is only necessary to add that the
spirit Of "mugwumpism" or independ.
ence Is growing so fast In the land that
the day Of the grating machine poll.
ticlan Is on the brink. Theodore Roose-
'elt, Governor LaFollette, Folk, De.
neen, Johnson, Hanly, Cummlns, HoCh,
Douglas and others are practically the
products of insistence OF individual po-
litical liberty as operated to blind ma.
chine adherence TO right or wrong,
merely because II bears machine
stamp. Upon the outcome OF the com,
Ing elections will depend the impetus
of "mugwumpism," In the future. II
has, however, come TO stay, regardless
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