se of its necessity. But the question arises, Is their
present action consistent with their principles and suited to advance
their purpose? When they stand between the opposite parties, dickering
with each in turn, ready to accept any candidate but one that either may
put forward, inciting people by the prospect of their support to violate
their pledges, are they introducing purer methods or giving their
sanction to those which are now in use? Will any nomination they may
obtain by such means bring the question squarely before the nation?
Would a President elected by their aid be recognized by the country as
the champion of Reform? Are they more likely to "capture" the party with
which they connect themselves or to be captured by it? If they give
their aid to the Democrats, will they expect the Democrats in return to
give aid to the cause of Reform? If they support a Republican candidate
satisfactory to themselves, will not the lukewarmness or disaffection of
large sections of the party ensure his defeat? If the "best man" on each
side be nominated, are the Reformers secure against a division and
melting away of their own unorganized and easily-disheartened ranks?
Will the victory, in any case, be other than a party victory, leaving
the fruits to be reaped and further operations to be planned by those
who have organized and conducted the campaign?

We know well that it is only in a distant future that Reform can hope
for a complete and assured success. But it is in a distant future that
the greatest need for it, and with that need its opportunity, will
arise. Serious as are the present effects of the virus that has stolen
into our system, its malignant character and fatal tendency are apparent
only to those who have made it the subject of a careful diagnosis. This
in part accounts for the apathy of the great mass of the people under a
state of things which in almost any other country would lead to a
profound and general agitation. Another cause lies in the consciousness
of a power to remedy all such evils by peaceful and ordinary methods;
and a third, in the present lack of any organization for applying those
methods. This lack will be supplied, and the first step toward a remedy
taken, when, instead of a body of "Independents" making no direct appeal
to the people, treating alternately with each of the two existing
organizations, and liable to be merged in one or the other, we have a
Reform Party standing on its own gro