56 Morality and Efficiency 



who fails to try to make that party in any way bet- 

 ter, commits a crime against the country; and a 

 crime quite as serious is committed by the inde- 

 pendent who makes his independence an excuse for 

 easy self-indulgence, and who thinks that when he 

 says he belongs to neither party he is excused from 

 the duty of taking part in the practical work of 

 party organizations. The party man is bound to do 

 his full share in party management. He is bound 

 to attend the caucuses and the primaries, to see that 

 only good men are put up, and to exert his influence 

 as strenuously against the foes of good govern- 

 ment within his party, as, through his party ma- 

 chinery, he does against those who are without the 

 party. In the same way the independent, if he can 

 not take part in the regular organizations, is bound 

 to do just as much active constructive work (not 

 merely the work of criticism) outside; he is bound 

 to try to get up an organization of his own and to 

 try to make that organization felt in some effective 

 manner. Whatever course the man who wishes to 

 do his duty by his country takes in reference to 

 parties or to independence of parties, he is bound to 

 try to put himself in touch with men who think as 

 he does, and to help make their joint influence felt 

 in behalf of the powers that go for decency and 

 good government. He must try to accomplish 

 things ; he must not vote in the air unless it is really 

 necessary. Occasionally a man must cast a "con- 

 science vote," when there is no possibility of carry- 

 ing to victory his principles or his nominees; at 



