Evening star., 1936-06-28
SCORE OF THIRD PARTIES
FIGURE In u. S. HISTORY
Major Groups Have Held Mass of Votes
in Recent Years-''Bun Moose"
Movement Best Known of Many.
y JoHN WALKER HARRINGTON

Y UNCERTAIN and variable FAC
tors are the so-called third
parties" in American politics,
such as the one announced a
few days ago by Rev. Charles E.
Coughlin, Detroit's radio priest. This
newest one has nominated William
Lemke, of North Dakota, for Pfesi-
dent and Thomas C. O'Brien, Of
Massac achusetts, for Vice President One
may say "so-called third party ad-
visedly, for numerically this is about
the tenth as political organizations
long in the field are likely to name
candidates for the White House.
The Republicans and the Democrats
are the first two parties because in Ma
tion-wide elections they control the
most votes. Politically third party is
one which, no matter how many other
minor parties have tickets, is regarded
as having an effect on the chief par
ties. Although it may not be able to
elect candidate for President or
even to be represented in the electoral
college, it stands chance of polling
a considerable popular vote. BY so
doing it may take enough votes from
one major party to elect the others
candidate.
Two main political parties seem
natural factors in all nationS-ore
conservative and one liberal. In
Colonial days in this country there
we're Loyalists or Tories on one side
and Wings or Liberals on the other.
Federalists and Anti-Federalists ap-
peared, and the existing Republican
and Democratic parties were third
parties, at first.
Unimportant Recently.
The minor political organizations
have not figured greatly in elections
in recent years. The Republicans have
usually won elections since the Civil
War largely because they have pre-
sented generally greater solidarity
than have the Democrats, many of
whom have joined third party move
ments. Differences of opinion have
arisen in the Republican party from
time to time which resulted in forma
ton of factions, such as the StalTarts
of so years or so ago in New York
State.
How of late the two principal parties
have held the great mass of voters
may be seen in the returns for the last
presidential election. Under the DEM
ocratic aegis were 503 per cent of the
popular votes, the Republicans had
43 per cent and the Socialists 81 per
cent, while the remaining 4.6 per cent
was made up of third parties" which
included the Social-Laborites, the
Communists, the ''jobless" and the
Prohibitionists. There are other groups
not even tabulated in news reports of
elections, classified merely as scatter
ing" such as the Third Horse party
organized by hoboes
Scores of the third parties" nearly
all short-lived, have had their parts
IN the passing show of politics. The
objection to immigration, for instance,
gave rise to the American party in the
sos of the last century. Because of its
secret ritual it was known as the
Know Nothings," because, when ques-
toned, its members professed igno-
rance OF its methods and type of or
ganization. AS matter of fact, many
told the truth, for the party had mys-
terious and various degrees. with which
the mass Of the enrolled were not IA
yniliar.
Slavery Row Factor.
The discussion for and against slav-
cry before the Civil War gave rise to
numerous small parties. There were
Abontionists and No Abolitionists and
Anti-Slavery voters. The Liberty party
and a faction of the Democrats known
as the Barn Burners" coalesced into
the Free Soil party, devoted to pre-
venting the extension of slavery, which
put candidates for the presidency in
the field, the best-known of whom was
Gen. John C. Fremont. The Free
soilers, in turn, were absorbed by the
Republicans.
Dissatisfaction of the farmers with
economic conditions has given rise to
series of third-party movements.
Lemke, candidate for the new Union
party, for years has been carrying the
banner of an element which, in other
countries, would be called agrarian in
politics.
About 1870 the farmers of the West
were in bad way financially. There
had been an extensive migration to-
ward the rich prairie lands, where
there were no stumps to pull and no
stones to build into fences. Labor
saving agricultural machinery was
being invented constantly, and farm
ers went heavily in debt to buy it.
Overproduction brought down the
prices of commodities; railroad
freight rates we're high and various
factors combined to spread panic and
despair.
Patrons of Husbandry.
Out of these conditions came the
Order of the Patrons of Husbandry,
better known as the Grange, secret
organization to promote the farmers
welfare. 1t was non-partisan, or sup
poeedly SO. Although it did promote
many excellent projects, such as ag-
ricultural colleges, its influence waned.
The membership dwindled from a
million to $4,000. The more militant