New-York tribune., 1906-08-25

"LET INDEPENDENCE BE OUR BOASTF
Il IS q noteworthy fact that the Democracy
has no straight Democrat TO offer TO the state
as its candidate for Governor. Both OF the as
pirants now before the primaries OF tnat Whlom
organization" are independents, one with
capital 81" and the other with small lnltlal'
In the old days a candidate sought his nomlna-
ton within his party first and then. II deleated'
became perchance, an Independent Fashlons
have changed, and Mr.. Hearst taking his lesson
from Mr.. Jerome last fall. is to nominate MN
self as an Independent saying to his former
party. after the manner of Jerome, Take me or
leave me-" working the while with characteristic
energy TO insure to himself the former part OF
his alternative.
Last fall had its lessons in practical politics.
Mr. Hearst started as the representative OF mu-
nicipal radicalism, and prophets allowed hlm 0O'-
600 votes When Mr.. Jeromes candidacy Hour
ished upon his attack party discipline Mr.
Hearst appropriated his ISSUE Radlcalism
dropped into a secondary place JerOme's
speeches of the night were the Hearst cartoons
in the afternoon The scourgings of the District
Attorneys invective furnished the stripes in the
editors caricatures Of Murphy. Mr.. ]. Sergeant
Cram was pictured teaching the Good Ground
boss to eat peas with fork, to array himself in
the conventional costumes at the conventional
hours, and generally so TO conduct himself as
not 10 put his more sophisticated funkeys out OF
countenance. Every one knew the inspiration
Said leading supporter OF the District Attorney
to him in the fOodtide of his campaign: Every
speech you make is adding thousands Of votes to
Hearst At last the public excitement became
so great that Mr. Jerome's friends began to fear
lest the clamor he had raised should be his own
undoing and the Hearst movement should swamp
Jerome In this wild whirl Of popular passion
Independence was born Independence? 1t
was emotional insanity; that is the most Chari-
table explanation that can be made Of the be
havior Of the New York voters last year.
When Mr.. Hearst enlarged the field of his
operations from city TO state he did not change
the name of his party from the Municipal Own
ership League to the State Ownership League.
It became the Independence League. "Inde-
pendence' had proved better name to cOnjure
with than ownership" All the faYOrite sons Of
/ political misfortune whose independence Of
| thought and action had been fostered by a kick
! outside the breastworks Of both parties rallied
| hungrily in the hope Of new political deal.
| independence was organized. Indifference to
| party distinctions, denial OF party authority,
was unified, co-Ordinated, systematlzed into a
party, and 10! now Independence" If you spell
| it with a capital "I," is a party. An "Indepen-
dent" is partisan! The nomads Of political life
! have put their hands to the plough; the Bedouins
| have a settled habitatiOn. The spirit Of contra
| diction has been reconciled to itself. The lion
and the lamb have lain down together. The ir-
reconcilables are sworn brothers in q common
cause The boss Of Independence makes a tri-
| umphai tour through the upstate countries and
the lean kline Of the Democracy PROSTATE them
selves at the portent Independence beleaguers
the Democratic convention Whoever is nOmi-
mated by that sore pressed party will be an In
dependent whether he is a Democrat is a mat
ter of the utmost Indifference.
Before we cease from our boost of Indepen-
dence let us mention its most significant triumph
The chief among ten thousand sinners is a con-
vert A chastened spirit cons the sentiment
of Tammany Hall. "Peccavi! Peccaviv- cries
Mr.. Murphy The boss has become the most
notable Of the Independents! 1t is q great day
for Independence! Recent events adumbrate a
near future when Independence will attain such
distinction that it may be said Of It, as was once
almost said of Liberty: what humbug is com
mitted IN thy name,"