New-York tribune., 1908-11-09
AS 10 INDEPENDENCE.

Vote straight" saws the Bourbon New YORK
Tribune There is one outside the kepupli,
can party column whose qualifica tlons snouIo L
appeal 10 Republicans of the most independent
habits. and there is no one under the RePuo-
"}ican party symbol whom such Republicans
should desire to vote against ms from Inc
Tribune-this week. not fifty years ago. as one
might suspects fair sample of the advice
served UP to the readers Of an ever decreasing
number Of papers. II would be equally good
counsel TO tell people to abhoT railroad trains
and stick 10 OK carts--The Cleveland pam
Dealer.
Our Ohio contemporary then goes on 10 say
that the voters Of IFS state. of Indiana. Mime
sofa and similar states paid no attention to
.-such eighteenth century advice. We never
meant them To- We did not give any advice
fitted 10 all places and all seasons, as cur dis
ingenious contemporary is well aware We
referred specifically TO New York, particularly
10 New York City. advising the people here 10
vote straight, for 10 such reason our con
temporary pretends, but explicitly because as
2 whole the Republican ticket here was so con
stituted 10 appeal 10 independent voters
And the independent voters confirmed our judg-
ment An unprecedented number of them did
vote that ticket straight the greatly reduced
Democratic ma ajorities in this city abundantiy
prove Taking q sentence out Of the context
and deliberately distorfing its meaning. as our
contemporary does IS device older and more
discredited than the position il falsely repre-
sents us as occupying.
We bestow this attention on the article from
which We have quoted because we have seen TOO
many Of lis like. equally false and disngenuOus.
ContennorarieS who have had TO cut adrift from
their own party because It had forfeited all title
TO public respect have thought il smart to twit
Us upon the superior advantage Of their detach-
ment Like the fox who had lost his tail they
would make a virtue of mere casualty. We
b,va boI in, "a
times: if we had. then should have been In
position 10 rally our adversaries on their
misfortune in never having been politically
nauseated beyond endurance
II has been possible and patriotic for many
years TO serve the nation. the state and the city
within the Republican party We have not been
blind 10 its faults. nor have excused its
biundeTs. or failed 10 point them out. Compared
with newspapers which have had Tammany
and 2 Bryan on their consciences. our range of
independence has been restricted. but we have
made the most Of il. In the campaign just
closed The Tribune resisted the will of the Re
publican organization and insistentlS urged the
denomination Of Governor Hughes. A year ago
it opposed and refused to ratify the local fusion
movement. not hesitatng 10 express its prefer
ence for certain Tammany candidates to some
Of those on the hybrid ticket. No paper in this
state has made harder or more effective fight
for the principle of A non-partiSan judiciary,
the nomination of several OF the Democratic
judges in the Court Of Appeals being first sug
gested in its columns. 1t has equally been at
the head and front of the movement for non
partisan municipal government supporting Low,
the independent candidate for Mayor in prefer
ence 10 Tracy who was put I'D by the Repub-
Hcan machine. and again Joining in the move
ment TO make Mr. Jerome District Attorney by
compelling the withdrawal Of a Republican can
didate who was not being supported in earnest
or with any hope Of success. 1t has often diff
fered with its party, also. on questions OF prin-
ciBle. refusing TO 20 with ii IN regard 10
rency reform last winter. For years ii urged
tariff revision. when the prevailing sentiment
was opposed TO #. until now it sees its party,
in its platform and by its Presdent-elect
pledged 10 that cause.
We recognize the growth OF independent vot-
ing and appreciate its value 10 the country.
But. after ALL its admirable spirit is not con
fined 10 that small faction Of the electorate
which thanks God publicly that il is not as the
Sadducees are nor the pubicans. Let
take example: Who i a better party man
than Governor Hughes: Yet vino more erec-
lively exemplifes the ideals toward which the
best independents are rather nefectivey Striv-
ing If il Is possible for q man 10 serve the
public and achieve the ends which independents
seek within party. II is equally possible for
a newspaper 10 do 80. ana without All apology.
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