Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-06-23
OUT FOR The SP0ILS
Republican Party No Longer
Guided by Principle.
IT'S CRAFTSMANSHIP A LOST ART


taken Its Place-toosevclt Is the
Whole Show and Has Been Given
Free Rein.
The disorganization of the Republican
party In many states has all occurred
since the unfortunate event that made
Mr.. Roosevelt president. From the mo-
ment that death closed the eyes of
President Mckinley fractional fights
began to develop and have now culmi-
mated IN the extraordinary dissensions
In Wisconsin, Illinois and other states,
what has brought about the antipathy
Of these rival factions to each other is
question of Importance to political
students. 1t will be noticed that only
In those states that are strongly Re
publican are the partisans of each fac
ton ut each others throat, and in near
~ every case the spells of office are the
chief cause of disruption. 1t shows
that President Roosevelt, the man at
the helm, is either incapable of dis
tributing the federal patronage fairly
or has been so intent upon securing
the control of the party machine for
his own purposes that he has antago-
n1Zed the leaders of one or the other
faction to the point of rebellion.
When a president of the United
States enters into the details of party
management for his own aggra ndize.
ment, it surely leads to weakness and
division and disguSts many voters who
regard politics from Il higher plane
than to secure office for themselves or
their friends. President Roosevelt has
attempted to manage too much. He is
ambitious to he the whole party. and
instead OF healing divisions he has dis
gusted many important leaders with
his interference. He is attempting to
dictate candidates and platform and
even to supervise the speeches to be
| delivered at the national convention,
| and the feeling of distrust of his lead
! ership has been increased by his osten-
| tatious meddling. Party leaders have
declined the vice presidential nomina-
| ton, and the craftsmanship of the ma
tional committee goes begging. The
party leaders long ago determined to
| allow him free rein, although many Of
them We're entirely opposed to his
! leadership or nomination, but there
was nothing else to do, as to defeat
him would have been to acknowledge
that his administration had been fail
ure. That would have put the party
| on q defensive attitude on many I'M
portant matters and would have been
difficult to explain to the voters.
Ex-senator Thurston, referring to
the Roosevelt presidential boom, said
| that Mr. Roosevelt was "a man whom
everybody is for. but whom nobody
wants"
The old gray wolves Of the senate
are intent on saving their own scalps
| from the ruin they see impending, and
one senator is stated to have said
that the Republican party is preparing
| for a good licking and deserves 1t. 1t
is given out from the White House that
the party platform has been agreed
upon, except the phraseology Of the
tariff and trust planks, which are trou-
bling the mind of the president-not
the question of revising the tariff or
curbing the trusts, but how to compose
the plank so that the tariff beneficial
ries and the trust magnates will not be
alarmed and the voters lulled into the
belief that the Republican party Is for
vigorous measures in the peoples in
terests.
Craftsmanship is lost art with the
Republican leaders, and chicanery and
wire pulling have succeeded in its place
With the traditions Of the party thrown
to the winds and all ethical response
bility left for few. who look with
deep regret upon the change that has
come over the organization, there is nc
element powerful enough to withstand
the fight for spoils. No wonder the
worst clements have come to the front
and are fighting among themselves FOR
mastery and that personal ambition is
their sole motive Of action. 1t is dis
heartening to those who believe in
righteous party government to see
great party descend to opportunisn1
and SnoilS