Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-12-22
PRACTICAL PROGRESS CLUB.
How Political Education Is Carried on j:
Washington.

Washington.
Spokane SpokesuIn-R ", Dec. 1S
The CLUB for practical progress held
It's secOud meeting for the season last
night at st Johns school room. A
large attendance Of men was present.
Rev. Dean Richmond Babbitt pre-
sided. The subject for discussion was
SHOULD There be a Fusion of Politl-
cal Parties -
Dean Babbitt opened the meeting
defining politics aud political parties
and tracing the history and work OF
political parties from ancient times to
the present. Said he:
what do we Learn from all this?
First, that political parties are nee
cessary: secondly, that they gather up
the life aud intellect of the people
and are useful IN attaining their OBJ
jects Shall parties fuse? | speak
not of local issues. But il a party eX-
sts for moral and practical purposes,
IL would seem that IL should by all
proper aggregation extend its power
and influence to achieve its ends
Not for spoils, not by barter, but solely
Tor the end of the party ITSELF"
H.. Mcguire was the next speaker.
He spoke with great force, interest
and passion He was utterly opposed
to FUSION "The peoples party had
been sold OUT" he declared, chad
elected United States senator who
formerly abused the dirty populisC,
as that senator termed them, and had
them turned out of political meet
ing Principle must be held for.
That is an organic germ and will
gather 10 itself a party always in
time. Fusion casts principle 10 the
winds" lie referred in terms Of
radical rhetoric TO the way the pOpu
Sis Of this state had acted in fusing
with the D,mOcrats and silver Repub-
licans,
He was followed in a passionate
and highly dramatic speech by G. d.
Sutton, Mr.. Sutton held that "Mr.
Mcguire had been disappointed and
had left the Populist lparty. Fusion
is necessary to success. 1t Is the only
way tn down the enemy" He hoped
bullet might be put through his
heart OF he "ever trained with the
robber bankers who looted the people
of Spokane In the past and stolen
their deposits"
Mr.. Mcguire was called upon by
Jon II. Roche to reply to Mr.. Sutton.
Mr.. Mcguire said he rejoiced in an
opportunity to explain why he voted
for Mayor Olmstead. Nobody had
asked him TO do so. The ticket was
by petitiol and the laboring men OF
this city had elected it as a rebuke TO
ce tain PopuliSt leaders who had sold
then. selves to Senator Turner He
vas for principle and never fuse.
Several speeches were made favor
my fusion.
The club by large majority decided
that political parties should fuse"
The subject for discussion next
Thurday night ln the same room is:
1.-The Proper Custody of City and
County Funds"
[The above is of interest because it
shows how the people of Spokane take
an interest in public affairs from a
political standpoint. 1t seems the
taxpayers and BUSINESS men regard
less of party turn out and discuss such
questions as the proper custody of
public funds and the management OF
political parties. The people of SpO-
kane have learned that political
party Is only an instrument to reach
results. That instrument may be en-.
tirely prostituted, or it may be con
Quoted on broad grounds for the pub,
lie welfare The difference between
the TWO is the difference between
darkness and daylight in public af-
fairs.
In Salem the Republican party has
been 50 strong that no movement
could succeed that was not counte-
nanced by the party. The party does
not want the people to assemble and
discuss public matters or to light up
the darkness only when the ignorance
Of partlsanship and the fetch of
party worship can be bIoken up, can
the people hope for better govern
ment.l ED. j.