Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-10-18
The COMING STRUGGLE
1ndividualism and Paternalism
Will Divide Parties.
. REORGANIZATION OF VOTERS

vi tO1unO
Republican R%eformcrs Find No Com
Fort In Their own Party-A Majority
of Citizens Believe In Democracy
and Will Rally to the Demand For
Equal Rights to All and specia
Privileges to None.
Those Republicans who profess to be
reformers, but only within their own
party lines, are wolves in sleeps cloth.
ing. Democrats should beware of them.
Their reformatory efforts are with
most of them but stepping stones for
the advancement of their personal DO.
litical ambition. An honest Republican
reformer can have no place in the Re
publican party, for the declared princi-
pie of the Republican leaders Is to 'let
well enough alone" There is only one
Republican reformer that really means
business and has accomplished results.
Senator La Toilette when governor Of
oAu IhidSo. Il CAlOlSCo l11C
tax laws of the state against the cor
porations and reformed the method Of
nominating candidates for Office and
other valuable reforms, for which the
Republican leaders are bitterly opposed
to him. There are other professed Re-
publican reformers, but their efforts
are ephemeral, and, like Governor
Cummins Of Iowa on tariff revision,
they would sooner stand pat than see
the wicked Democrats successful.
To stand pat and "let we'll enough
alone" are the cries Of the Republican
machine politicians, and every stump
speaker sent out by the Republican
congressional committee sings those
songs and tries to delude the voters
into the belief that prosperity would
be j~eopardized If the reform Of the tar
iff and the control of trusts were at
tempted.
Reforming the Republican party
within party lines has been a failure
everywhere except in Wisconsin, and
those Republicans who are sincere re-
formers will Of necessity be drawn to
the Democratic party to accomplish
their purpose. 1t is therefore impor-
tant that Democrats in shaping their
local campaigns should conine their
declarations and efforts to reforms
that will draw these independent vot-
ers to their aid, and this can be best
accomplished by combining their de-
Ypop1c tn cr1oh roforn,c n G or0 of In, n
date necessity and meet with general
concurrence. On national issues the
Democrats demand tariff revision, so
that the protected trusts will be COM
PEELED to reduce their monopoly prices;
reasonable legislation for the benefit Of
the artisan and laborer, economy in
government expenditures, with ample
appropriations to execute all necessary
government functions; the perfection
of the railroad rate legislation, so that
rates may be reasonable and just, and
the always to be remembered Demo
cratic fundamental doctrine of equal
rights to all and special privileges to
none"
Republican reformers that will not
Join in striving for such reforms can
have no lot or parcel with Democracy.
There is certain to be q reorganization
of party lines, for those who believe
alike are bound to march under the
same banner, and those who disagree
about fundamental doctrines cannot
long work in harmony. The sheep must
be separated from the goats, and those
who believe in the right of each indi
vidual 10 build his WI fortune with
out government interference or pater-
nalism will be Democrats. Those who
believe in a strong centralized govern
ment, usurping the independence of
the individual citizen. which if persist.
ed In to it's natural conclusions must
lead to socialism and even anarchy OF
despotism, are Republicans.
Democracy means that the people
shall rule themselves instead Of allow,
Ing others to rule them and that a man
sitting under the shadow of his own
vine and fg tree shall have no one tC
modest him or make him afraid. Re
publican reformers that cannot join in
bringing about such q happy consum.
nation are not rcformers, but frauds.
What Democrats now need to strive
for is to make their own party a uni
for necessary reforms, with clean ant
able leaders, for there is no doubt thai
q majority of citizens will rally to the
success Of such an organization.
Republican Inconsistency.
Tho Ronuhlican convention of Cali.