Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1906-10-10
GROWING IMPORTANCE or
 THE INDEPENDENT VOTE.

Undoubtedly the tendency is getting
 stronger among Americans Co refuse to be bound by party when great
 issues are at stake. or when party
 machinery drifts into the hands of un-
 worthy men. Under our system of government. parties are right and
 necessary. They conduce to a sense of
 responsibility on the part of admins trations, and properly managed they
 make possible the expeditions conduct of public business. Were there no party organizations, n citizen would he politically helpless, ns helpless as sol. dicr without an army.
 The original, fundamental division into parties ia along lines of principle. AS principle becomes more and more settled in the national spirit and life, the divisions run more along lines of policy. Presumably, all parties, in theory. have the same ond, the public welfare. But they differ as to ways and means.
 l Moreover. men are coming Co look upon government more and more ns n business matter, with the citizens in the position of stockholders in n cor. poration, and the elective officials in the position of directors or trustees The professional politicians, the bosses, are gradually being transformed into servants, and any man who hopes to reach high office, must possess rctsin qualifications of business ability and personal integrity, before he can hope for the united support of intelligent and respectable people.
 So, when n party machine in county, state or nation, falls into the hands of irresponsible, unworthy men, there is certain to be n revolt. Conditions to. Jay approach more nearly the condi- tions at the beginning of the republic, than they have for a century. There K less insistcncc on differences in principle, and more insistcncc on busi. ness policy and administrative capacity, thnn there has been for century. The two great parties are nearer together on Fundamentals than they have been for a century.
 And the body of independents is greater In proportion to tsc strict party men, than 1t has bccn for cen. tury. The independents today swing elections every time. Party managers do their best. and yet they cannot con. trol thnt great body of independents or predict in advance how it will vote. These "independcnts," however, nrc not men without party. They arc party men who place good government | and the public welfare and manhood above allegiance to party, and never fear to rcnounce and dcnouncc party | machines and party candidates when they go wrong.
 lt k the great independent vote that will win the election in New York | state. Jerome, one of the most con. spicuous and able Democrats in the state, has been looked upon as a prob. able Democratic candidate for gov. ernor. Tho Democratic party not only repudiated him, but repudiatcd the state machine. New bosses formed n new machine and Hearst captured the whole chicken roost. The Republicans named thoroughly good man, brilliant, an able administrators. personally clean, and with no unfortunate past to rise and smito him. Jerome now announces his determination to support Hughes Tor governor, and stump the state for him, because in the absence of Democratic ticket, he finds Hughes the best man to whip the Hearst horde.
 Jerome is mentioned only as a tyne. Everywhere 1t is easier than it ever was in the past to find men who inter. est themselves in party affairs, take part In primaries, put up money to keep up the organization. and work for the interest of tho party, and yet who arc manly enough to rcpudiatc marty acts that are contrary to tho party 's principles of right and wrong. A man that will ,pscrincs right and deeepey to .fal~ iSss ~ party loyalty ,is cspable,l pr oes'ay'ns' dsaer trusts when, oppor. unity offsss. WI" ''A Y,
 The growth of tho independent partv