Year: 1876

that they can cOntrOl Ine noIiilhduoh, HUI on"o
the nominee of either party will be elected. A
force appears, possibly strong enough to turn
the scale as between parties, and therefore haDle
TO be potent. to an unknown degree, In
the selection of candidates. Some of the
politiciaps satisfy themselves with the sneer
that these independent gentlemen are enureiy
impracticable. Perhaps so; but the only thing
they have done thus far is to propose con-
ference to see if an honest man cannot DO
elected President. Those who declare that i'm
practicable, place themselves and the candi-
dates they prefer on n very low level IN
political morality. If it Is, in their Judgment,
utterly impractcable to get an honest man
elected through the political agencies they
represent is it not about time to resort to new
forces7 Some say that these gentlemen, ideal
lists and personally pure, are liable to be used
by a set of schemers. If so, what shall we
saw of the probability that these politicians,
and the candidates they prefer, may be used
by q set of schemcrs at least equally danger
ous2 1t does not appear, thus far, that
Messrs. Woosey, Bryant and Bullock have
been used at any time by anybody to any
great extent.


The trouble is that they have not been, and
that they we'll represent large body OF vot-
ers who cannot be, used by corrupt managers
of either party. They want something, namely,
honest government They want that thing
more than the triumph OF any party. IL nap
pens to be true that very great many peo-
ple in these United States want the same
thing. Instinct tells the political managers
that, in this very essential particular the
highly "impractcable" gentlemen are perfectly
in accord with a multitude of voters largo
enough to put either party under the sod.
The politician considers that this informal con-
ference may, in somo unexpected way, give
formidable expression to the fact that the pco-
ple want honest government. If it does so, it
may interfere to u degree now incalcllable,
with the best laid schemes of managers in
either party.


That, we suspect, is precisely what the i'm
practicable gentlemen intend, and hope by
this conference to accomplish. They have
faith that the people want honest government
They hope that it may be found possible to
express that demand in some most effective
way. so that the dullest politician as well as
the sharpest may realize that disregard of tins
demand will insure defeat BY some such ex-
preston they hope, and the ordinary political
managers fear, that both parties may bo COM
pelled to make better nominations than would
otherwise be made. and that the final decision
as between those nominations, may be lnflu-
cnced in favor of tho better. Ii must bo con-
fe ,sed, too, that this is not altogether
so impracticable a scheme. The fact that
the politicians are much worried about
it, when only five private citizens have
thus far expressed their sentiments, indicates
that similar expression by larger number
may have considerable practical force. In the
language of the politician, it means business"
Nobody can tell how much influence such
declaration of opinion and purpose may have.
Il NAV drive the Democrats to tumble all the
old Bourbons overheard, and the Bourbons
themselves seem to apprehcnd that it may he
in that respect enincntly practical! 1t may
convince the Republican Convention that my
nomination less good than the very best and
strongest would end III certain defeat. The
agitation visible i'll some quarters warrants the
belief that many Republican politicians fear
that the meeting may prove IN that respect
eminenty practical. But if it does, why not
VIII the people have reason to regret II Doth
parties are compelled to put up candidates
known TO be faithful, able, and thoroughly
honest I