The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-12-24

otner. A Few editors are already In
timating that they desire TO be "seen."
Reading between the lines the infer
ence is forced that 1t will be a case
OF first come. first served" with some
OF them; that the candidate who
has the price will look good to them
and will get their editorial support, re-
gardless OF his principles or lack OF
principles. No editor has a right TO
sell hts principles. It is inconsistent
for editors to favor an editorial or
press association 20 elevate the profes-
sion and at the same time give the tip
that they are on the auction block
And 1t is question IL such newspapers
have any influence or not. II is gen.
orally conceded that the influence Of
a newspaper depends 70 a great extent
on the faith it's subscribers have in
the sincerity of the editor. The people
cannot be fooled with purchased edi-
torial support. That was demonstra-
ted in Ward county last year.
Minot Reporter: Bro. Colcord OF the
Independent rises with difficulty and in
his last issues asks the very imper-
tinent question, editorially, What is
the difference between insurgent and
stalwart republicans, so far as plat
form or policy is concerned?" We beg
to answer the question and will do
so by simply showing what each wing
Of the republican party stands for and
then perhaps Bro. Colcord can distin-
guish the difference.
A stalwart republican is one who
has adhered strictly to the principles
OF republicanism, standing pat in the
face Of adversely; swallowing the plat
form and the candidates who stand up
on 1t, as made by the bosses of the
party. A stalwart republican is one
who believes that the republican par
ty, like the king, can % not wrong,
and he stands pat with the machine,
does its bidding and receives in return
anything from a federal appointment
to honorable mention. In other words,
he is either a federal appoinree, is
looking for federal appointment, has
an axe to grind either for himself or
a near relative or friend, or in the
absence OF any Of these, he is just
plain chump without the courage Of
his convictions-one who sticks to the
Grand CD Old Party because he would
not be any good anywhere else, be-
cause no other party would have him.
and because he has not backbone
enough to do a little thinking for him
self and tell the dictators to go to hi.
An insurgent republican is one who
has either held Office as a stalwart
and been kicked out; one who has
eternally sought ONCE and never suc-
recognition while he remained with
the old forces and thinks he can get
even by joining the insurgents and
damming Alex Mckenzie. The real
Interpretation Of the term 'fnsurgent"
as applied to North Dakota republic
cans means Cooking for Office" To
prove this statment, just recall the
name OF any man who is known to be
an insurgent and you will find that he
is either an avowed candidate at this
time, or has been mentioned in con-
nection with some particular office.
The fact of the matter is, Bro. Col
cord, that neither the insurgent nor
the stalwart wing of the republican
party stand for anything worth while
One has the patronage and the other
wise enough to play into the hands of
the moneyed interests and are there
fore able to put UP the best campaign
and generally win. Those OF us who
have had republican principles instil-
led into our very nature since the foun-
dation Of the union find 1t very hard
TO say we are republicans In North
Dakota. The fundamental principle
OF republicanism has ever been TO
build UP while the two wings of the
once Grand Old Party in North Dako-
Ia are tearing down. The truth OF the
matter Is that the real republicans
Of North Dakota belong neither to the
stalwart or to the insurgents. The
stalwarts right now stand simply for
control and gang rule, while the insur-
gents OF the Marshall and Gronna type
stand for q desire for office. When
we stop to think Of all the years it
took the republican party to build up
the strongest nation on earth with the
simple instrument Of protective tariff,
and then and men who profess to be
republicans lining up with the demo-
Gratis and shouting free trade, we
sometimes wonder II after all the old
time mugwunips didn't have more real
principle and merit in their policy than
the republican party has today.
II we had any intention OF sticking
to the newspaper business in North
Dakota, Bro Colcord, the chances are
that we would dish up stalwart stuff
this year. The stalwarts will have
bushels--yes, barrels--aye, even hogs
heads full Of money to spend. You
can't run newspaper without money
and there Is absolutely no principle to
fight for so that your conscience can't
trouble you, providing YOU possess
anything so perishable as conscience.
But inasmuch as we don't expect to
edit a newspaper during the coming
campaign, we will simply say that we
were q republican and will never be
anything else, but just so long as in
surgentism and stalwartism mean
what they do today, we refuse to have
anything to do with either wing of the