The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-01-28
ElimInntlng PolItIcs.

Eliminating Politics.
An idea seems to prevail in some
quarters that the new model charter
government people Of Huntington are
seeking for that city will do away
with politics, political parties and pc.
litlcal movements. One newspaper in,
forms US that If the charter under
consideration by the legislature Is
passed. Huntington will be munich.
pality without politics, Such con.
dition would be anomalous and per
haps not altogether desirable If with.
in the range of possibility.
It is to be, observed, however, that
the model charter provides for the
election of four commissioners, OF
which the one receiving the highest
number of votes shall be the mayor
The commissioners divide the work
into four divisions, each having per.
sonal charge of one division, but the
quartette cooperating in administer
ing the government as whole.
Sixty-four citizens are to be elected
who shall constitute citizens board,
or referendum body. They are to
receive no compensation and will
have nothing to do if the four COM
missloners properly and honestly at
tend to their duties.
Just how 1t is figured out that the
election of these commissioners and
hoard OF citizens can be efectaA
without concerted political movement
OF some kind IS not as clear to some
as 1t might be. There must lie po-
litical agitation of some kind il rep
resentative citizens are to be chosen
in contest of ballots. And, what II
there should be? One difficulty with
the problem is that people are prone
to confuse political parties as a sys-
TEN with certain evils that sometimes
prevail in connection with political
party systems. To kill the evil one
should not kill the party. The source
OF the evil should be extTrpated, and
it is not necessary to kill on any or
all political parties to do that.
A writer in a recent issue, of the
North American Review who is recog-
nized throughout the world as one of
The most eminent living authorities
on constitutional history and constitu-
tional law, states that without poli-
teal parties representative govern
ment cannot 20 on in the normal way.
The presiden, of one of our great
universities, Nicholas Murray Butler.
not long ago wrote:
They Lpolltical partiesl and they
alone make popular government nos
sible, and the individual has a duty
toward them which is neither full
filled nor commuted by the denuncia-
ton Of party abuses, or by cynical
contempt for party limitations or
shortcomings. Men must cooperate
ana to Cooperate for political pur-
poses is 70 be a member of a politi-
cal party"
The independent vote, which must
be reasoned with and convinced, ana
which is able TO turn the scale of sue
ness now in one direction and now in
another. is most admirable politi-
cal st!mu!ani. 1t spurs the parties
on TO their best efforts and exsrts Az
influence out Of all proportion 10 it,
numbers. Yet 10 dlsintegrate noli-
teal parties in the interest Of cross
voting Of all kinds and all occasior,,
would be disastrous"
IN order to carry out any cfvic mo-
ject or to make a certain poIItIcs,
theory or principle prevail. tbar,
must needs be concerted. united 90
operative action on the part Of mon
Otherwise confusion and disorgan-
ization, destructive of good cover
ment and peryersive OF good mol n.
cal theories. would result. So +.
does not seem to be just the prone,
thing to attempt to wipe political