New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-07

Called Waste Effort in Fiigh1
Against The Bosses

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: No doubt you are aware that
many conservative and worthy citizens,
in revolt against disregard Of their
preferences-as expressed through the
primaries-and despairing of recogni-
ton through the regular organization,
or OF an enlightened view by selfish
party machine leaders, are talking
third party"
This is not the talk of the merely
disappointed; it is the thought of men
and women who regard the conduct at
Chicago as direct and very real
menace of the peoples rights; it is the
expression of loyal Americans, loyal
Republicans who have. supported the
regular organization, only to be repeat
cdly deceived by their district leaders.
who succumb to the wiles or the traf-
ticking of the bosses after pre-conven
ton promises to follow the wishes of
their constituents for action national
and progressive in spirit; it is serious
|
and women against blind obedience to
party whips. and while it probably will
not result in third party-for the very
good reason that most of us regard such
an end as weakness rather than STRENGTH
yet it is certain to be felt heavily at
the polls.
IN thus ignoring it's rank and file the
Republican party is riding to a fall
maybe this year, maybe not until the
next time, but sure to come, and to be q
nasty cropper, unless it develops the
conscience, the wisdom, and the strength
to tear down its gallery of little tin
gods and listen to and heed the pro-
gressive ideas and the mandates of it's
voters.
And may l take up bit more of your
space to say thus publicly to some of
these my earnest, unselfsh compatriots
~ho are celebrating this question that
am not for third party at this time
for the simple, and I think very good
reason, that third party effort will be
wasted effort? 1t is not practical
method, and the bosses can be suppressed
only by practical methods. You SIM
ply can't build up third party of de-
cisivc strength; the country does not
need and the people will not have
third party. What the people do want
is reorganization within the present
parties, both Republican and Democratic
smashing of the bosses, recognition of
the peoples rights, respect of their
mandates-all of which can be done in
side the party if enough of us feel the
need and the impulse to get out and
work for it,
1t is entirely cup" to us voters. We
get the kind Of men we want Cor stand
for by our slack citizenship in Con-
gress, on national committees, as local
delegates. 1t is up to us to get the kind
of men we need, real representatives of
those that chose them. The third party
effort is futile; it is the kind of effort
which maintains the bosses in power
because it can never muster enough
force to drive them out; it's the kind of
t4llHS ucCcuC iHluucU ana not very DraC-
tical people are forever doing and get
ting nowhere.
Let us concentrate on practical meas
ures and on cogs vital to the boss
machine. Let us begin in New York by
putting out of business one of the
favored and highly placed line bosses
of the cold guard" Senator James
Wadsworth, who is shortly to seek re-
election at the hands of the voters
whose wishes he so recently ignored. If
the state Republican organization is
wise-or provident-it will abandon
thought of trying to put Wadsworth
"over," for if in further disregard of
aroused public feeling it maneuvers him
into nomination New York will send
Democrat to Washington.
CASPAR WHITNEY.
WiannO Mass Julv & 1Q00