The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-05-27
HISTORY. Logic support Builder


Nicholas Murray Buffers suggestion that the Re
publican and Democratic parties merge and that
genuinely liberal party should line up against them is
sound 1t thoroughly accords with fundamental social
logic and the teachings Of American history.
There are today no vital issues dividing the Repub-
Ioan and Democratic parties Both have been cap
tured by business and finance The only issue involved
is the seizure of the spoils of Office. is for this
reason that our campaigns have been degraded into
vagaries, evasions. and personalities.
Instead Of educating the people to real issues.
the politicians must endeavor to blind the people to
the fact that there are no vital issues to present
Having no clear and conflicting programs, the party
struggles between elections degenerate into confusing
and disastrous burlesque.
American history shows us that, down to the pres
emit ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS horse play, major parties
always faded out after they had served their purpose
constituency, and age. There be vigorous and
coherent party struggles or platforms unless they
are based upon clear and decisive divisions of interest
and issues.
Back at the close Of the eighteenth century, the
Federalists did a good piece Of work for union and
stability They integrated the collection OF jealous
and headstrong states into federal republic restored
national credit, and established working admins
tration Of government. They were made up mainly
of the mercantile and lawyer classes Of the north
and east.
But they were not adapted to liberal government.
They had no faith in the people whole. They
believed in a government of the rich and weI-born
Having rendered their service to union, they passed
out in the second decade of the nineteenth century
They were superseded by the Wings party which
was both nationalistic and popular.
There was real basis for party struggle between
the Federalists and the Jefersonan Republicans who
we're drawn from the and the laborers. Com
uercal autocracy was lined up against agrarian and
proletarian liberalism
The same was true generation later, when the
Wings opposed the Jacksonian Democrats. The new
Democratic party compounded Of frontersmen
and eastern laborers They could fight the more
plutocratic Wings on internal improvements. the
Second United States bank and other issues Of the
day.
Broadly speaking, it lineup OF the richer
against the poorer elements in the country.
But slavery soon made the opposition Of Wings
and Democrats illogical and relatively meaningless
The southern wings supported slavery and the Demo-
Gratis became the buwark Of the slavocracy. 1t was
necessary to have sharp party differentiation over
slavery.
The Wings broke and the various anti-slavery ee-
uents united with other disconnected groups in the
new and radical Republican party. Once more
liberal party was compounded out Of farmer and
laboring groups with some of the lower middle class
Lincoln stood for the frontier idealism and Greeley
organized the workers Of the east. This time party
struggles led to Civil
During this great conflict. the once radical Repub-
lean party was captured by big business and has
been its servant since for the abortive and
accidental Roosevelt episode The Democratic party
came out OF the Civil lined up for liberalism and
reform.
Under Tiden and Cleveland, it stood for political
reform and the curbing Of corruption. Bryan made
It a party of radical social and economic reform
When Bryan stepped down, the party went over to
big business wilson really represented the last gift
OF Bryanism to the country.
Both old parties now are equally servants Of In
dustrial financial and commercial interests. The
workers farmers and intenectuals have no party
unless they turn to Socialism But the scares
them of this track.
It Is certainly permissible for business to have one
major party in the hollow Of Its hand 1t Is hardly
fair for it to hog the whole show and continue to
dominate both.
American history proves the desrahility Of vital
distinctions between the sarties The Democratic
Republican sham battles since 1904 represent the
longest period In our history during which party