The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-03-29
THE NEW REPUBLICAN PARTY.
(Ry O. M. Thomason.

ing Pot" demonstrates the building
of a new man, the American, by the
infusion of the races and peoples
here In America and casting a new
race composed of all races.
There is a like process now under
way among the political parties of
this country. In the past there has
been a number of political reforms
attempted by offshoots from the
democratic party. These movements
were usually composed of the dis
gruntled elements Of the minor par
ty and were peculiar to that party.
And while they had considerable eff
feet and were of educational value
they failed to make any permanent
progress. They had a tendency to
agitate important issues and remind
the people of their rights and there
by compelled the dominant party to
make some decided advancements.
And under this compulsion the DOM
fnant party has taken some decided
ly advanced stands. 1t did it large
ly because Of the eminent danger of
losing its place in office, but the re-
suits were good just the same.
It has now dawned upon the men
tai horizon of some of the strongest
republican party leaders that those
who oppose this progress are not &C
tuated by party principle but because
it is to the interest of the private
wealth they represent. This has
caused straining of party ties and
the alignment on one side Of those
| who, because of popular demand and
public need, stand for party progress
AMI one the other side those who,
because of personal interest and pri-
vate gain, stand by the interests
which furnished the campaign cigars
and oil for the party machinery, and
maybe a plain, though we'll filled,
envelope occasionally
All this time some good sound
planks have been put in the plat
forms of the reform parties and now
and then one has actually become a
law, so that the people begin to see
the great value of such weapons as
the initiative and referendum, the
right of recall and the direct prim-
airy, and as a result there
is coming to be a general popular
demand for such return of the po-
litical power of the land into the
hands of the people. The people
have been slow, patient and eniur-
ing. but the limit has about been
reached. The people must have
more than few crumbs. The direct
primary has made it difficult for
party machines to cut the political
cloth to suit the orders of those who
pay the bills. The people are COM
ing unto their own at last.
There is a large element of the
republican party-of the rank and
file thereof-who will not fall into
line at the crack of the party lash,
if there is any other place to go to,
besides the democratic party There
is likewise large element in the
democratic party exactly Of the same
frame Of mind. Then there is a con-
siderable aggregation belonging to
the smaller parties who are growing
tired of throwing away their votes
for a principle" against such over
whelming odds.
All these dissatisfied and restless
elements are awaking to the realiza-
ton that theirs is a common interest
and they are about to see the wis
dom of uniting their efforts, even at
the sacrifice of some minor points,
ana striving for a common end
In other words there is about to
be casting into the crucible of mod
ern reform all the old delapidated
parties and the new and young par
ties, out of which will come strong
and mighty party unanimously and
tremendously bent on one end, the
restoration of governmental powers
into the hands of the people and
thus accomplish the common owner
ship of the government instead Of
the private ownership of it as we
now have.
There are several things charac-
tertistic of the present movement
that warrants eminent success. One
of them, and a very important one,
is the fact that for the first time
the leading reform element will be
from the republican party. This will
give the movement prestige and
force. Another is the growing and
increasing disrespect for party lines.
Principle and men, not party and
notifies. seem to be the slogans OF
the day.
This movement will give the reg
ular democrats a chance to line up
with the regular republicans where
they belong and the progressive DEM
ocrats to line up with the progress
i've republicans where they belong.