The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-11-15
INDEPENDENT
Wave Will Give the Peo-
pie Their Own, Says
Whitlock
THE MAYOR OF TOLEDO

les and towns independent move
ments. In many instances these were
successful, and in addition to this,
local Issues were given play more
than ever before An independent
or nonpartian movement is not neces-
sarily Independent or nonpartisan ps.
cause IL takes that name; many OF
them are what might be termed "sore-
head" movements, or movements OF
the disappointed; others are mere ef-
forts to advance some small or narrow
notion. OF course, all sucn move
ments fail and deserve to fail. Ev-
erywhere the free, Independent spirit
OF men seems to find greater play
than ever before, and the results in
Cleveland Toledo, and San Francisco
are all evidences of democracy at
work; even where, as in Cleveland,
for instance, party names were re-
tanned, the party spirit was lack
! ing.
There was a time, not long since,
when in municipal elections men vot-
cd solely with reference to national
Issues. They belonged literally
belonged-to parties, and II was con-
sidered point OF pride, of honor,
one might almost say of religion, to
vote their party ticket and vote 1t
straight. 1t mattered not what men
were on the ticket, what their per-
sonality, or what their principles, II
they had any principles; no one paid
any attention to that; no one looked
below the bird at the head OF the
ticket, II II was his bird-the eagle or
the rooster-he voted that and went
away feeling glow of patriotism and
n sense Of duty we'll performed. Sell
fish interests saw their chance in this
condition, special privilege saw Its
chance, and 1t was not slow to seize
IT,
Special privilege is, and always was,
nonpartissn; II was for itself all the
time, and to get what It wanted from
government that is, to get more privi- |
leges, more favors, II allied itself |
with party leaders and party bosses,
and the party automatons became the |
most valuable business asset In the
business world. Thus special privilege |
secured control of the organization OF
the dominant party in the city; then
It secured control Of the organization
Of the minority party, and dictated
the nominations in both parties.
In the campaign the stump speak
ers lauded Jefferson or praised Lin
coin, the candidates finding IL in
fnitely better to run on Lincoln's
record or on Jefferson's record than
on their own. They pointed with
pride to the record of one grand old
party or the other. They abused each
other and reviled each the other side,
and on election day the blind party
walked up and voted a
straight ticket and thought that the
country was saved again. And II
didn't make any difference which way
the election went-the people always
lost, The victorious party" celebrat-
ed the day after election, and mean
while the beneficaries of special priv
ilege sat In luxurious seclusion and
laughed at all those dupes who had
so Willingly and even enthusiastically
themselves.
But gradually a change came; men
began 10 realize that while they we're
The street car company was
always .non-partison; that while II was
Yelling for Lincoln. 1t was getting a
new franchise; that while they were
considering national issues. It was
considering local issues, and by and
by they saw It through the hypocrisy
and absurdity OF the whole miserable
scheme. They began, as the late Gov
Chamberlain put II TO look at politi-
cal facts with their eyes instead OF
their prejudices" and they began to
vote, In city elections, with reference
TO city issues and city affairs.
And thus the independent. the non
partisan spirit, which is but another
way OF saying the fundamentally dem
Dcratie or American spirit began TO
have play. And SO rapidly has this
spirit grown that today in the Ameri-
IAN city, II is the exception 10 see ell
actions conducted along national par
~ lines. Nearly everyone under
stands this now, except the politicians
nd few of the old party organs.
'pecial privilege. for whom the poll.
icians and party organs have so long
worked, and for such small share OF
he proceeds understand It, of course;
I understood II all along. In many
titles there is no longer the pretense
II party lines and movements exist,
OF large groups OF men,
,eonging TO all parties in national
fairs, who strive to carry through
ertain reforms In their own cities.
Toledo has long been conspicuous
Of this new spirit. Toledo
egalned her political liberty under
iolden Rule Jones; her people are
the freest and most inde-
endent in America; they understand
etter than any other electorate. I
hink, the gentle art of scratching
ticket, and as a consequence, there
) In Toledo finer and loftier civic
pirit than In any other city In the
and. This spirit is marked. too,
Cleveland, although in Cleveland
he old party organizations are still