The Paducah evening sun., 1910-03-23

tory for his party. The country will
not elect a Democrat for what Re-
publican can't do, but for what a
Democrat can do. Positive, not neg
ative, forces count in politics as In
Everything else. Progressive legisla-
tion Is demanded, not obstructive tao
tics. II is difficult at best for a par
ty, whose leaders have long been
heading a minority in opposition to
the government. to cease opposing
when the opportunity comes and be-
gin doing. Cleveland found his party
unable to realize its responsibility
to the country in time TO save itself
from defeat.
Democracy is undlsciplined, ex-
claim its defenders. as II that were
sure sign of independence of thought
and action; but 1t is undisciplined
because II has not been in power
long enough in fifty years to feel any
responsibility. Military cadets may
wheel and turn and deploy and go
through the manual of arms with
beautiful precision; but for real dis
cipline study the veteran, who by ex-
perience understands his own de-
pendence on the corps and the corps
dependence on him. and the respons-
ibility OF both to the cause for
which they are fighting. That ac-
counts for the discipline of the ma
jority., Every Republican congress
man, who will be up for reelection
next fall, knows that his success de-
pends on the judgment the people
pass upon congress as a whole. Con-
sequently, he may be expected 90
lend his best intellectual efforts 70
national problems, and subordinate
personal desires to the general good.
That improves the quality of the
individually and col
lectively. Minority congressman have
no such sense OF obligation. Their re-
to their constituencies is
purely local, and therefore each one
regards his duties in congress as re
lated only to matters affecting his
district, excepting when their com
mon interests are touched by an op-
portunity to put the majority in a
hole. So they have not the training
which develops their antagonists at
the national forum. Their knowledge
of politics does not rise above trad
ing in Offices and favors.
The demoraEzing result OF this
lack OF a sense of responsibility to
the nation for the conduct Of gov
ernment is reflected in the state gov
ernments under the rule of the ma
tional minority party. This was re-
marked in the last Kentucky legislat-
ure, for Instance, which felt under
no obligation to the people as a
whole to enact laws for the benefit
of the common veal. Not once did
such an obligation become manifest
in committee action, debate on the
floor or the policy OF either house.
Thus the minority party develops
national leaders through state poll
tics, with no such training as would
enable them when the opportunity
comes to assume command OF the
government and conduct the affairs
of the nation in such a manner as to
benefit the country and reflect credit
on their party. Each year the minor
ity party is out Of power, IT deterior-
ates in the character of its leading
men. Progressive. aggressive minds
incline to the party that Is doing
things, and this further depletes the
resources OF the minority and the
country loses confidence in II. Is 1t
not possible that this has much to do
with undermining antequated parties,
and making necessary the formation
of entirely new ones when a crisis
arrives in which the dominant po-
litical organization is out OF sympa-
NTH tha 4frnoo1