New Britain herald., 1926-10-25
INDEPENDENT VOTERS
 AND ELECTIONS

Far from belng opposeu to 'i' principles of political independence underlying the mental complex or the independent voter, the Repub- rcan party has reason to feel grateful to that large body of ciu- zens within the state. For the Re publican party, as the New Haven Journal-Courier pointed out, "has owed more to the independent voter during the past 25 years than it has to it's own following"
 Nothing is more In conformity with the truth. The tendency of politics during the past few decades has been that the Republican party, by dint of organization, energy, consistency, planning, popular ap- peal, clever political propaganda and some luck, swayed the inde- pendent voter more profoundly than the Democrats. Thousands of persons who have voted the Repub- lican ticket for years at heart are not bound up with any party, but would just as quickly vote for Democratic candidate if they were convinced the Republicans were going out of bounds.
 On the whole, the present politi- cal alignment within the state Is fairly stabilized. The Democrats may at times put up a good fight" and frequently could put up q better battle if they played their cards better. But it Is the inde- pendent voter and not the party ized voter, to whom both party or ganizations in the last analysis must appeal for suffrage. If it so happens that in most instances the independent voters consistently vote one ticket during successive elections, It means that the domi- nant party has obtained a larger slice of confidence than the other. It does not necessarily mean, as some partyized individuals would have 1t, that the independent vote has dwindled or all but disap- peared.
 It is the independent voters who keep the dominant party anxious to please; without them it would soon become distinctly more of an oligarchy than it happens to be. Regardless of what Governor Trum- bull said about the independent voters at the beginning of the campaign, 1t is mostly these to whom his party is addressing it's propaEanda. Without the aid of the independent voters the Republican party would soon find itself strug- gling for a foothold. Just now there are more independents in it than out of 1t, and it is the business of the party managers to keep them within the charmed circle.
 Nothing is as potent in keeping a dominant party within the straight and narrow path as the dread of defeat. And it is independent voters who have it in their power to swing the bludgeon of defeat should they become convinced the dominant party has earned such a fate. It Is 10 these that the party managers had best address their storied claims, rather than abusing them. If there were no independent voters there would scarcely be need of holding elections; the re- turns would be approximately the same at every election. This being so, why look with dlsfavor upon the most important body within the electorate?
 Just now, in Hartford county there is spirited fight being waged for sheriff. And it is the in- dependent voters of the county who will settle 1t one way or the other; it is they who will elect either Gabb or Dewey. It is they who are making themselves thoroughly ac- auainted with the issues between the two individuals and will vote accordingly. It would be very pleas ant, no doubt. if the organization advocating the reelection of Dewey had no independent voters to con- tend with, but this is not to be. Il Gabb has any chance at all - and few will claim he has not an even chance of election with Dewey - Il Will be because the independent