Bisbee daily review., 1906-02-21
WHAT IS A
 REPUBLICAN,?

|
 REPUBLICAN,?
 "In 1S60,'' writes Mir. George Skin ner to the Chicago Inter Ocean, "al though only a school boy, I was al intelligent republican, and knew why was republican But now, after forty-ive years of active political life I am compelled to ask: What consti tutes republican? Of course, we dc not expect all republicans to agree on all questions, but there must be some principle which to hold and to work for makes a republican, to op pose which debars one from member. ship in the republican party. Will you please inform me through your editorial columns what you consider that principle to be?"
 The Inter Ocean responds by point. ing with pride to the past, but is un- able to determine just what is the republican principle of today. "No wonder" it acknowledges, that in- telligent republicans of the past should wonder where their party is, what principle it stands for, why they are republicans and what is a repub- lican."
 But the answer is by no means So difficult. A republican is member of the g. o. D., and its principles are the principles of its representatives and leaders. How easily we read those principles when we reflect that the republican party is the party of Aldrich, Addicks and Armour, of Bur ton and Beveridge, of Clark, Cortel- you, Culiom and Cannon, of Depew, Elkins, Foraker, Grosvenor, Judge" Hamilton, Knox, Loomis, Mitchell, Morgan, McCurdy and Paul Morton, Platt, Perkins and Payne, Rockefeller and Rogers. Shaw and Scott; these are characteristic and representative opponents of repubblicanism, the par tvs prominent men and leaders. Where do they stand? They stand for spells and privileged property in terests. ER
 To be a republican is to belong to this party, to belong as a voting asset, small unit of political value 10 ruse in campaign time. The re- publican voter merely belongs, and to the average the question of principle" is not very material. He is bound to the great machine, and held by l something of the same principle of | attraction which holds a steel parti cle to a magnet He has no more yolition, ordinarily. than that same steel particle, and no more to say about the political direction in which he shall go. A republican is just g republican
 Some republicans are likely tt shake loose in 1908, in consequences of the process of demagnetizatior which the machine is undergoing a present. Exposure has a tendency. tf weaken its attraction and hold O voters. There is some talk of split too, which means that control is mar rowing and that there is rebellion oi the part of the faction which is denied power. But such of the party a. hangs together will still be known a the republican party in any event, thu regular" party. and the voters wh' support it will be republicans It vii stand for the same thing as formerly
 The Inter Ocean believes that thu principle for which it's party mus stand, in order to continue to exist should be stated by the national con vension of 1908 substantially thus: | The republican party stands
 for constitutional property rights.
 regardless of the fact that they \ 5are rights in property. and re
 gardless of the property in
 which these rights exist.
 The truth might be stated nor , briefly and convincingiy thus:
 The republican party stands for 1 all it can get, regardless of any
 property rights.
 Such a declaration would have tn merit of candor, would set the voters doubts at rest, and would serve thu party about as well as any other dec laration it could make.