Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-10-14
RIGHT VIEW OF
PARTY OBLIGATIONS

The Democratic papers in general |
and the Devils Lake Journal in par.
ticular have been spinning fine theories
lately to induce "insurgen.s" or pro.
Eressive' Republicans to vote for John
Burke SO he could give out few moro
lat Offices to his Democratic followers,
are answered by the following forceful
editorial penned by w. c. Taylor, Of
the Valley City Times Record, who is
the Republican nominee for Commits.
eioner of Insurance.:
For months before the late primary
election the writer, through his edi-
!crial connection with this paper and
the I.aMoure Chronicle, strenuously
md persistently opposed the re-elec-
ton of either Senator McCumber or
Congressman Hanna. Every possible
effort was made to convince the re-
puhlicans Of the state that their inter-
fsts and the general welfare would
he best subserved by retiring these
men from official life and electing in
their stead the progressive candidates
who opposed them. But majority Of
the Republicans who went to the polls
on the Goth of June had a different
opinion about the matter They in
t.ructed the legislature to renew Sem
atcr McCumbers certificate of cleo.
:!on and they gave Congressman Ham
pa tremendous majority. And vet
the Journal, with incredible effront-
cry, asks the editor of this paper who
.as himself a candidate for office in
the primary election as member OF
:he same party to which McCumber
ind Hanna belong. why he is sup.
porting them!
Doesn't the Journal know that so
Far as Senator McCumber is con-
ferned the factional contest ended abb
solutely. both politically and morally,
|
Path Of last June? Is there progress
eiVe republican in this state SO con-
!emptible that he would ask republic
can member of the legislature to vio-
;ate his solemn obligation to support
ihe candidate for United States sen.
ator who received the highest vote in
| Nnr Gol
and Gronna, the insurgent candidates,
specifically promise to abide by that
result? We are not supporting" Nc
i Cumber, because there is no need to
4 support him. We fought him as hard
ps we could and We're 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 OPP
Jonent. Ny. Purcell. There are sew.
eral good reasons why we would
not attempt anything of that sort, Mr..
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 unassailable logic applies
in the case Of Mr.. Hanna. This paper,
IN common with many other insurgent
papers, opposed him before the pri-
snaries. But he won. and by a ire,
Inendous plurality. That settled the
matter SO far as republicans are con-
cerned, however noiSily democrats like
Editor Bloom may "hollar their heads
off,"
IN short, we may as we'll recognize
the fact first as last that the pri.
mary election is not a contest between
parties-nothing of the kind. SO far
as factional disputes and differences
OF opinion are concerned, the primary
election affords an opportunity for the
mass Of voters in the party to say
which faction is right and which is
wrong. If the voters fail or neglect
10 render judgment it is their own
fault, and there is nothing for it but
20 wait another primary election The
republican party cannot be reformed
by electing democrats to Office nor
would be benefited by their election.
The democratic party stands in quite
IS 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 concern in
the affairs of government.
But it should be steadily borne i'm
mind that the issues involved in a
primary election are quite distinct
from those involved in general elec-'
don In the first instance the differ
ences, if any, are factional in the
second instance they are fundamental,
representing widely diverging ideas as
to policies, aims. methods-the en-.