Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-23
Political Parties and Their Purposes
for The Herald.

that one should change party affiliation
for slight or trivial reasons, only that
the change should occur upon substan-
tial grounds, either when the individual
discovers that he has been mistaken or
the party has adopted some policy that
is a departure and is essential, in re-
gard to principle, or puts forward i'm
proper men for public offices. A highly
partisan party is more apt to put for
ward incompetent and dishonest men
than one whose members are less ac-
customed to the party lock-step.
Political parties are more or less re-
organized at every important election
by the shifting of individuals from one
to another, and occasionally an old
party is disbanded and a new one or
ganized. This must happen from the
mutations of conditions, and the inde-
pendence of character of no small
percentage of the voters-especially
that element which recognizes as a
duty to act wholly with reference to the
general welfare.
1t is we'll authenticated historical
fact that not long after a party has
been organized and shows evidence that
it is likely to become dominant, the am
bilious for public favors and the selfish
begin to develop a party spirit and
test Of the moral crucible. New parties
at first generally act under real lead
ers, men of ability and virtue, but un-
fortunately they are superseded by po-
litical tacticians, especially SO soon as
the party has so acquired tie conf
dence Of the people that it has achieved
the ascencancy. 1t is there that disci-
pline and drill are introduced, and the
theory inculcated that winning elections
is the chief end for which party exists.
Political tacticians are not oblivious
to the fact that when men have been
accustomed to acting together sympa-
thy and affinity are developed that tend
to keep them together, and it is quite
apt to be 20 strong, if it does not actu
ally override, 1t weakens the sense of
public duty. Especially is this true IF
men of Indifferent intelligence or whose
moral perceptions are not of the highest
order, Another class relied on is COM
posed of those who have personal in
terests which will be best subserved
through rigid enforcement of party al
legiance.
The rule is that the longe- party
continues in power the more liable it is
to become corrupted, or the more in
different its leaders are to the general
veal and for the reason that the un-
patriotic and self-seeking rally to it as
the surest means Of gaining thai which
satisfies their greed, and such a party
easily falls a victim to political ma
chine. Except in a strongly partisan
party a machine is never successful.
In machine driven party platforms or
declarations of principles and policies
have no meaning, they are gimcracks
to help in carrying elections Such a
party never can be consistent for any
length of time, and is almost never
plinctiliously honest-that is to say, It's
ruling spirits are not, whatever may pe
the fact in respect to the rank ana hle:
In whatever position or relation OF
life. one should be governed by his best
intelligence and the highest impulses OF
his nature. 1t is demoraliz1ng ana ue-
grading for one to be directed py tne
encyclicals of caucusses and conVen-
tions, or the drill-masters OF polltlcal
machines. IT..
independent judgment is the right
and duty of every man." wrote Martin
Luther on the walls of the old catheo-
raj. -,
Error of opinion may be safely toll
Grated when reason is left free TO COM
bat it," said Thomas Jefferson.
Abraham Lincoln said: 81 am not
hound to win. but I am bound to pc
true. I am not bound to succeed, put
am bound to live up to the nght nave.
must stand with anybody that STANDS
right, stand with him as long as ne s 10
right, and part with him when ne goes
wrong. ,,, -,
These are principles that should gov
ern men in their political affiliations
and actions One otherwise controlleo
Is a political slave, and of such is the
hide-bound partisan.
LIONEL A. SHELDON.