The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-24
TAWNEY ON PARTY FEALTY

Congressman Tawney contributed to the
Washington Post last Sunday an article
under the heading, Party Fealty VS..
Party independence"
4 Mr.. Tawney was the leader of the in
surgent movement in the house which
overthrow the house committee on rules
last week, and won notable victory for
the poor, down trodden congressman. No
event in recent political history has de-
veloped possibilities of greater signifl-
canoe than the revolt of the band of in
surgents who fought and won the battle
in the committee on rules and the speak
,er of the house. Conditions had developed
under which it>began to appear as II the
individual members of that body had alb
solutely surrendered the operations of
their thinking powers to the control of
handful of arbitrary and overbearing lead
ers. who were conspicuous mainly for
their lack of sympathy with popular
sentiment on some of the leading ques-
lions of the day.
1t was against this arbitrary and selfish
domination that the revolt was organized
1t was not revolution against party or
ganizations or party fealty. The small
element against which the revolt was di-
rected had made the sorry mistake of as
Stunning that it was the party. Its conclu-
sions were arrived at without conference
The sense of the party was not deter
mined by free expression, but it was as
sDmed to be that which a few seIf-suffl
cient leaders chose to make it. 1t was
against this the revolt was made, and that
it was successful is no evidence of in
subordination or lack of fealty to rightly
determined party policies.
Perhaps Mr.. Tawney could not say in a
newspaper article in Washington, paper
quite as plainly as he might have wished
what the revolt was directed against, but
he suggests it clearly enough in the
statement that party fealty does not
mean a selfish dependence upon leaders,
or upon methods by which party
policy is to be determined" Nor does
independence of action by the represen-
tatives Of any party, with respect to the
methods by which it is proposed to carry
out party policy, necessarily mean trea-
son or disloyalty to party. This indie
pendence of action as to methods is fire.
quently essential to the maintenance of
party and to the achievement of those
beneficial results which are calculated to
follow the enactment into law of the broad
principles and policies of the party.
Moreover, it is the only means by which
every unit of the party can contribute its
best judgment to the action of the or
ganized whole. Furthermore, independ-
ence of Judgment is altogether healthful
in developing the strong and weak points
Of any proposition. 1t gives the wisdom
Of many, minds instead of the conclusions
of few"
The revolt Of the insurgents cannot fail
to be of immense value, both to the coun-
try and to the party. To the country, be-
cause it sets the example for fearless and
| courageous action on the part of men en-
! trusted with great responsibilities, and Y
Eparty because it teaches the lesson thai
an oligarchy is no more to be endured il
| a party than it is in a government, es'
pecially when the government is govern.
ment by party; and it will certainly make
for more careful recognition of the right:
of Individuals more diligent etfor
to discover the preponderance of senti
men within the party, and to make thu
policies of the leaders conform to thai
sentiment.
Under such a condition of things there
will be no further occasion for Insured
ton and no work for insurgents to do.