The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-12-10
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1901
is A GOOD ORDER.

ether republican newspapers of the
state regard the order said to have
been issued by President Roosevelt tc
federal oficeholders directing them tC
resign any Office they may hold in
political organizations, but as far as
this newspaper is concerned it hopes
the report is true. Enforcement of
such an order can but be beneficial to
the party, as it will result in a regen-
GRAFTON and lodgment of party power
where it justly belongs-with the rank
and file, the men who must bear the
brunt of battle and who are looked to
when the cru comes to furnish the
votes, but who heretofore have receiv-
ed scant recognition.
1t is because of it's party loyalty and
because it believes the party greater
than the individual that The Gazette
holdstothis view of'the matter. There
is no use in attempting to evade the
truth and by the advancement of poor
excuses to lay the blame for the sever
al defeats it has sustained in this
state, when every condition presaged
victory, elsewhere than where it prop
erly belongs. Discomfort and defec-
lions have grown out of the manner in
which party affairs have been manag-
ed in the past because a few individ-
uals have usurped the power which
properly belongs to the organization
and arrogated to themselves the right
to dictate and command, when in al!
justice and right they should have
been satisfied with working in the
more subordinate position of followers.
Machines may be able to run things
in the east, but out here in the west
where every man considers himself
the equal of his neighbor and where
men think and act for themselves
that sort of politics is not popular
and whenever it is sought to practice
1t something disagreeable generally
follows. The campaign of last year
gave ample proof of this. Men who
have been lifelong and consistent re-
publicans refused to be dictated to and
domineered by a few persons and if
they did not openly oppose the party
they certainly were not seer in their
accustomed place at the front fight
ing for it. Their ideas of right and
wrong and their conception of what
was proper and just prevented them
from yielding blind and implicit obedi-
ence to the machine.
AS The Gazette on former occasions
has remarked, it has nothing person
ally against any of the gentlemen who
have been wont to set themselves up
as party dictators, neither does it
doubt their fealty and devotion to par
ty, but it questions their judgment.
Because of their prominence as Office
holders, either through appointment
or election, they assumed to dictate
to the party what it should and what
1t should not do. The result was dis
astrous resentment and a party sor-
rowfully divided against itself. Had
President Mckinley seen fit to Issue
the same order that his successor now
has issued it is not saying too much
TO intimate that the results of the
campaign in this state might have
been different. The gentlemen who
took it upon themselves to manage
the campaign and direct the work
would probably have been consulted
at times, but they would have posses
sed no greater powes than that of
mere friendly advisors, whose advice
was to be accepted or rejected, as
the managers thought best. Occupv-
ing the positions of and d.
rectors they proved too heavy a load
Tor n party to carry. It is true it
was reported that Mr.. Webster had
resigned a lucrative federal office to
devote himself exclusively to cam-
palgn work, as chairman of the state
central committee, a position he still
hoids, but the resignation implied no
such great sacrifice as was intimated
at the time. His tenure of Office had
about expired anyway, and as soon as
the campaign was ended he received
MS reWard by being appointed to the
latest" federal position in the state.
Inc other gentlemen who by the
grace OF the president were holding
the next best Offices did not resign.
They hung onto their jobs, while at
the same time taking active and prom
inent parts in the campaign and in
their eagerness to help the party and
through it help themselves sought to
apply the party lash on backs unwill-
ing to receive the blows. They were
causes ct weakness instead of strength