New-York tribune., 1909-04-19
on ITS LAST LEGS.

The Independence League. which had din
ner on Saturday night is only a shadow of the
party il once was Examination of the election
returns shows how rapidly it is tending TO go
the way of the County Democracy, the Steckler
Democracy and the Sheehan Democracy toward
extinction In the municipal election of 1900,
when Mr. Hearst ran for Mayor and many per
sons regarded his candidacy hopefully as an in
dependent movement that might disntegrate
Tammany the Hearst party received about
100000 votes in this city. In the following year
came the combination with Tammany, which
revealed the Independence Leagues Indifference
TO principle. For that year no figures fairly i'll
dicating the party's strength are available But
the election of 1907. when the Independence
League changed sides again and reappeared as
the enemy of Tammany. disclosed the effect Of
its tactics upon its strength. On the New York
County ticket the league entered into com
bination with the Republicans but it had its
own candidates for Judges of the Court of Ap-
peals. In New York City the leagues vote for
those offices was $1,000. Last years election
showed the decline to be continuous and pro-
gressive The Hearst party then ran an indie
pendent national and state ticket. It's candi-
date for Governor, Clarence J. Shearn, proved
its strongest nominee, and his vote in the whole
city was only $4,000. In three years the party
had dwindled from 10000 to $4,000.
Saturday nights dinner naturally did not
settle the question whether or not the Inde-
pendence League would enter into fusion this
fall on the mayoralty 1t merely disclosed Mr.
Hearst's determination not TO be again his
partvs candidate for Mayor which will not sur
prise any one in view of his party's present vot-
ing strength The league may, if 1t can, fuse with
Tammany or with the Republicans, as it has
done with both of them in the past, or it may
put its own ticket in the field. Whichever it
does now that its vote has fallen away 10
$4,000 its future is not rosy. 1t is hardly likely
that the result of any combination that may be
made will be TO add to the Hearst strength.
while running alone it is impossible for party
as small as Mr.. Hearst's party now is to hold
together without that devotion TO principle
which keeps some of the minor parties alive.
A fusion with Mr.. Hearst is likely TO be re
carded with hesitation by both Tammany and
the Republicans, both having gained wisdom
from experience. On paper Mr.. Hearst could
bring a great many votes TO the Democracy in
1906. but nevertheless he was a badly beaten
candidate for Governor Similarly. on paper, Mr..
Hearst's party could contribute 10000 votes or
So TO the Republican partnership in New York
County in 1907. but when the votes were counted
the Republican candidates were at least as
badly off as they would have been II they had
run alone. And this year all that Mr. Hearst
has TO give. paper in the whole city is $4,000.
In view Of what it has cost both parties in the
past to try to secure the Hearst support 1t is
possible that both of them will let those $4,000
votes go where they please.
For many reasons it is to be regretted that
the Independence party has dwindled and prom
ises soon to leave the scene. On the lines on
which it was projected, a radical anti-Tam-
rnanv municipal party. it might have served
useful purpose in disinregrating the political
ring that controls New York. But its pcssibill-
ties were thrown away to serve the ambitions
of its managers. and in the course of one mu-
nicipal administration it has become a nearly
negligible factor.