The Washington herald., 1908-07-09
THE NEW THIRD PARTY
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

What IS certain 10 be a factor OF in.
terest. and probably Of Importance, IN the
/ Presidential campaign this year Is the
/ Independence party. This organization
whl,h is regarded as the corporate mani
festation Of the political activities OF Mr.
| William Randolph Hearst, will enter ma
tlonal politics for the first time when II
i holds its national convention at Indian
apols on July q The Independence
| League has proved 10 be a potent factor
/ In State and local politics IN every State
where Mr. Hearst has a newspaper
4 Massachusetts. New York. Illinois. and
! California. It's first venture on the open
I seas Of national politics will be watched
with interest
/ History shows that no third-party
movement in the United States has ever
[ been successful as an organization. In
other words. no third party has ever
attained dominant, or even second. posi-
| ton in national affairs. on the other
hand. most of the third-party movements
have served 70 bring forward some politi-
cal doctrine which later has been adopted
by one of the two big parties Third
parties have frequently held the balance
the aspirations Of more than one candi-
date have been wrecked upon the break
ers Of the third-party vote.
There is always third-party move
ment at work. New ones come and old
ones go. but there is always such an
element in the political world Mr.
Helrsts party is Of unusual interest. per-
haps, because Of fits peculiar method OF
party government by charter Of incor-
poration. it's personally conducted feature.
and the fact that 1t has the support of a
great chain Of influential newspapers and
magazines. It's head has come close 10
being elected mayor OF New York City
and governor OF New York State Its
votes have changed the result OF State
elections in Massachusetts, and California
It's influence in Chicago politics has been
great. What it will do in its first national
campaign Is a great big question.
Only four times in the history OF the
country has a third-party candidate sue
ceeded in gaining any votes IN the cleo
tOral colleges In 1892 the Antl-Masons
carried Vermont and gave eight votes for
William Writ: In 1856 the Know-nothings
talAitO MARY ldllu anu gave tlEll votes
for Millard Fillmore; IN 1850 the Consti-
tutional Union party carried Virginia,
Kentucky, and Tennessee. giving thirty
nine votes 10 John Bell. Since the civil
war there has been but one such instance.
that OF 1892 when the Populists carried
Kansas, Colorado, Nevada, and Idaho,
and one vote each in North Dakota and
oregon, giving twenty-five votes TO James
3. Weaver.
The first third party made its appear
ance soon after the division between
Democrats and Federalists became well
defined. Ii gloried In the name Of "Quid
Tertium." This third something was
revolt against the Democrats. as led by
Jefferson and Madison. and was led by
the brilliant John Randolph Of Roanoke
1t was organized in 1905 Three years
later just century ago, It nominated
James Monroe for President against
James Madison. The movement collapsed
before the elections and Monroe was
thereafter a good enough Democrat to
be twice elected President.