The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1900-11-17

party, with q record extending
back to the early days ofthe repub-
lie, has twicesin succession been de-
feated at the polls, at first with the
heaviest popular plurality castagains
party in three decades, with the
single exception Of the anomalous
campaign Of 1872, and now for a
second time by stiiI more ern-
sphatic pronouncement ofthe popu-
ular will. These defeats have not
been inflicted soley by the agency
of the. victorious party. Such
plnralities as have been rolled up
against the defeated party could
not under ordinary conditions have
been secured in that way. On the
contrary, the candidates of the sue
cessful party has been openly SUPP
ported by numbers of men who
have been leaders in the. other or
ganization in the past, and by thous-
ands Of the rank and file who, while
continuing to call themselves by
the party name, have repudiated
Iplanks in its official platform. As
a result, the defeated party has lost
with the popular support, which
recently gave it the presidency
twice within a decade, the. spirit
tef conference which alone can make
it effective even as an opposition
lparty, W y@s5au.r Il r. ,..al2
| This is a condition Of things
(which thejudicious observer cannot
regard without concern. Govern
ment in the United States under
Our national Constitution has been
historically, government by means
of parties, and with,very brief and
infrequent intervals the country
has had the benefit Of abe services
of both responsible party of posi-
tive achievement and an effective
party of opposition whose criticism
has likewise been of value in the
working out of. the : problems
which have presented themselves
!. from year to year and from decade
! to decade. 1t is to the interests o.
the country and its institutions
: looking at them from the historic
| standpoint, that while government
by party endures there should b.
) in existence not only q party charg
; ed with the. administration o
. the affairs of the government a
D any given time, but also an opposi
> ton party powerful enough through
the cohesion Of its members to fee
the check of possible responsibility
l. sufficiently alert to be awake to tn
mistakes or departures from funda
q mental principles of the party il
power, and intelligent enough I
give efectiv expression to its crit
: cism of the public action of its or
ponent. . a ..~ .,.. !
Far-seeing and conservative cit
i zens therefore, whatever their party
a sympathies, cannot. view withou
II concern the situation Of parties il
:. the United States at present. ON
II of the great national parties is
1t without doubt, strong, effective ant
II and ably led, but the other has tenn
1t porarily lost its cohesion and II
:. morale as a national organization
[. and is not in condition to act wit
j. unity or effectiveness as a part
of criticism. Its recovery from sue
N a condition will be an event. to b
ee looked for with satisfaction by Cit
y Gems who reflect upon the possibi
at tiles of abuse which may turk i
le the unchecked ascendency Of an
oe political organization. 1t is graf
y. flying to know that an earnest move
< ment Is Under way to endeavor t
N bring back the defeated party {
lie its old mornings, and by relievin
as it of the burden of issues, the advoc
n acy Of which has brought about tw
s, signal overthrows, to restore it I
es the condition of efficiency whicl
n rendered it but a short time ago
is factor Of heIpfulness IN wefking on
l. the governmental problems of tn