The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-07-13
been hard to down, in spite Of the growth of m,

terests Of the common man-especially the indie
pendent farmer
Jacksonian Democracy united frontiersman and
eastern laborer in common cause devoted TO freeing
the underdog ano clearing the way for the masses
in politics and education.
There were number of liberal spurts between
Jackson and the Civil war. Whatever their Incl
dental imbecilities Aboltioniss Free Sellers, Barn.
burners and Know-N othings represented revolt
against the established political system. Even the
Republican party got away to a very liberal start,
only to be gobbled up by the profteers during the
between the states.
After the Civil war; those in the Republican party
who were true to its original principles tried to
it from revenge, patrioeering, and putocracy, but
the crusade failed The hangover Of the war spirit
and the popularity of Grant were too much for
Curtis Schurz, Greeley, Brown, Wells, c. F. Adams,
Sanborn, Banks, Reid and others who staged the
Liberal Republican rally.
Many of these reasserted their independence
in the Mugwump revolt, which sufhced to defeat
Blaine in 1884 But this rebellion within a
party rather than a real liberal departure.
The misery of the western farmers, the defation
conducted by the bankers and the domination of the
wealthy stirred series of dramatic third party pro-
tests-the Granger, Greenbacks and Populists move
ments.
This instruction promised to attain real proper
lions under Populism. In the presidential campaign
of 1892. when they ran the old war horse, General
j. B. Weaver, the Populists obtained popular vote
of O41 900 and captured twenty-five electoral votes
In the election of 1894 their popular vote jumped
to 1471 $780, But Populism cut short by the rise
of Bryan Democracy, which united most of the dis
contented liberals.
The elder Roosevelt made very considerable lib
eral racket though his liberalism appeared decisive
chiefly because of the reactionary character Of the
Republican old guard and the Parker Democrats. But
the Progressive insurgents led by La Toilette Norris,
Pingree Cummins and others in Taft's adninistra-
ton were real liberals and able to break the czardom
of Uncle Joe Cannon.
But for the Roosevelt La Toilette feud, they might
have captured the Republican party in 1912 That
wear gave us two vigorous liberal unheavas-the Bull
Moose movement and Wilson'S new freedom.
But when Wilson betrayed his liberalism to Anglo
mania and ambition in the spring of 1917 his work
collapsed and the nation was surrendered to blank
reaction save for the sporadic La Toilette crusade
in 1924 Except for the latter, liberal efforts since
1916 have been restricted to small and passing groups
of able men, without popular appeal or following
number of former Roosevelt and Wilson lib
erals formed the COMMITTEE of forty-eight in 1920
but it inveighed in vain against the surrender of the
country to the Ohio gang. very similar organiza-
ton more recently has appeared-the League for In
dependent Political Action led by John Dewey,
1t is the most distinguished intellectually of all
our liberal drives And it serves to show how far
we are in the United States from realizing PlatoS
dream of phioSopher-kings.
The recent Republican decision to trust to ostrich
like illusions of security and the fear of bugabooS
among the populace give the Democrats the best
chance they have had since 1872 if not since 1875.
If they do not rise to the challenge and the OPP
portunity, then the mild liberal will have to
choose between supporting Norman Thomas and go
ing fishing on Nov: s.
They have platform which can furnish the basis
of a realistic campaign. Let them make it good.
College professor urges graduates to travel IN
necessary advice in these days when it's long way
between jobs.
Detroit Judge has ordered a man not to speak to
his wife for two years. That's nothing lots of hIs-
bands don't get chance to get word in edge-wise
anyway.
few more of these big league baseball 1stic en-
counters and they'll need referee well as an UNI
pre at every game.
Money not only goes farther in these days OF the
depression but it stays away longer