The Dickinson press., 1910-10-08
RIGHT VIEW OF
PARTY OBLIGATIONS

are answered by the following forceful
editorial penned by w, G.. Taylor, Of,
the Valley City Times Record, who. is|
the Republican nominee for Commits
pioner Of Insurance: /
For months before the late primary,
election the writer, through his edi-'
torial connection with this paper and,
the LaMoure Chronicle, strenuouslyi
and persistently opposed the ~re-elec-i
ton Of either Senator McCumber or
Congressman Hanna. Every possible
effort was made to convince the rel
publicans Of the state that their inter.
ests and the general welfare would,
be best subserved by retiring these!
men from official life and electing in
their stead the progressive candidates.
who opposed them. But a majority Of
the Republicans who went to the polls!
on the 29th Of June had a different
opinion about the matter. They in
structed the legislature to renew Sem,
ator McCumber's certificate Of elec-;
lion and they gave Congressman Han
ma a tremendous majority. And yet
the Journal, with Incredible ~effront-j
cry, asks the editor of this paper, who!
wal himself a candidate for office in
the primary election as a member of;
the same party tt which McCumber
and Hanna belong, why he is sup.
porting them!
Doesn't the Journal know that so
far as Senator McCumber is con-
cerned the factional contest ended abb
solutely, both politically and morally,
hen the polls were closed on the
18th of last June? Is there a progress
sive republican in this state so con-
temptible that he would ask a republi-
can member Of the legislature to vio-
late his solemn obligation to support
the candidate for United States sen.
htor who received the highest vote in
the primary election? Didn't Marshall
and Gronna, the insurgent candidates,
specifically promise to abide by thai
result? We are not supporting" Nc
Cumber, because there Is no need to
support him. We fought him as hard
rs we could and. were licked. The
only way we could fight McCumber
now would be to try to elect demo-
cratic legislative candidates who would
vote for McCuber's neighbor and op-
ponent, Mr.. Purcell. There are sew
eral good reasons why we would
not attempt anything of that sort, MI.
Purcell himself being one of them.
Nothing could be gained and much
lost. we believe, by the election of Mr..
Purcell instead Of Mr.. McCumber.
"The same u~nassailable logic applies
In the case Of Mr.. Hanna. This paper.
In common with many other ~insurgent
papers. opposed him before the pri-
maries. But he won, and by a tre-
mendous plurality. That settled tho
matter so far as republicans are con-
cerned. however noisily democrats like
Editor Bloom may "hollar their heads
or
the fact first as last that the pri-
mary election is not a contest between
parties-nothing Of the kind. So far
as fractional disputes and differences
Of opinion are concerned, the primary
election affords an opportunity for the
q of voters in the party to say
which faction is right and which is
wrong. II the voters fail or neglect
to render Judgment it is their own
fault, and there is nothing for It but
to wait another primary election. Tho
republican party cannot be reformed
by electing democrats to Office, nor
would be benefited by their election.
The democratic party stands in quite
% great need Of reformation as does
the republican party. What is most
needed Is the education Of the whole
people in the matter Of civic duties:
In arousing in the electorate a genu.
Inc interest and personal oncern in
the affairs of government.
But it should be steadily borne in
mind that the issues involved in q
primary election are quite distinct
from those involved in a raneral o1ac.
ton. In the first instance the diner-
ences. If any, are factional; in the
second instance they are fundamental,
representing widely diverging ideas e
to policies. aims, methods-the en-.
tire scope Of political economy"