The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-03-28

eminent, Is sun matter OF mere
perhaps We are living
in a transitional period, a state of
fiux, when the minds of men. freed
from graphing with some Of the
mighty civic problems that so long
perplexed their fathers. are begin
ming 70 find. as those same fathers
did before them, that the problems of
free government are not yet all sol
we'd, that each new generation finds
new difficulties in the pathway to
ideals that are always and forever
Just a little bit more exalted and
Just a little farther out OF reach than
the ideals OF the men that came and
went before them. And this is the
same old experience OF every gener-
alton that finds that new occasions
teach new duties. time makes an
cient good uncouth.'
The student Of history soon learns
that the outward form and aspect of
political parties is bu. transitory,
that patriotic men in their success
sive days and generations find cause
to line up this way and that way in
organizations that seem to them TO
propose principles of government
and ideals of civic justice upon plans
of cooperation and with machinery
for execution that appear to be al
most fnalities OF human wisdom so
far as the mere substance of organi-
cation itself is concerned And then
in some sudden crisis of history or
in some more deliberate evolution OF
human experiences, their carefully
Duilded organizations are either swept
out OF existence utterly. or else find
themselves coalescing with newer
and more positive elements OF civic
advance. or sometimes even swing
ing around to preempt and advocate
political doctrines and dogmas as the
test of party faith and loyalty that in
| former years were heartily repudiat
ed or ignored altogether The stu
dent of American history will find in
stances by the score in which the
party lines cross and recross each
other as doctrine after doctrine OF
party profession at one time hello
by the opposition, has been adopt
ed by its one-time regulators,
Something Of this ever recurring
| transitional state Of affairs is upor
us now We of the Republican par
ty today are holding to some doc
trines as matters of fact profession!
of party faith that would have giyer
US pause not over ten years ago
| n,r friapIc .ha apon,,. IN fbn n,p,n
cratic ranks are likewise situated
The simple truth is that the grea
| historic issues that called the Repub
lican party into existence are dead
| They We're settled in the fiery fur
mace of the Civil War and the periol
of Reconstruction that followed it
During that critical period the part.
that championed the broad philoso
lphy of free government we hay,
come 10 call Republicanism not onl.
had definite and concrete ideals o
human liberty and equality unde
the law to contend for and establish
but it was met at every term by
no less resOlute and powerful OF
position party that had arisen out O
he natural differences OF men
minds upon those definite and COZ
crete issues and that fought for il
own idelas With equal positiyenes
and yigor. Even after the Civil Wa
issues and their resultants were pu
to rest, there followed as a nature
consequence u spirited struggle owe
the control OF the government alon
party lines between these same tw
parties based upon opposite habits {
thought that had been shaped In ths
long continued opposition But thes
differences began to subside as tn
War of the Rebellion and the Recol
struciion period faded farther an
farther into the background, as tn
marvellous industrial awakening
the country began to present its ne
and many-sided problems of econon
les and finance, and as there can
into the political organization of Ii
day new generation to whom II
war with its attendant strug gle fl
personal liberty and civic equalit
was but page of history while Il
present struggle for economic fire
, dom and equality of opportunity
earn a living were the vital question
that sat by every mans hearthstor
/. Or haunted his pillow, and would n
! be dismissed
, Then we began to see the gradu
shift of party lines and personal ;
egiances to party that has contin
I'd from that day TO the present tin
First noticeable in Il marked degr
; n the memorable free silver cal
Daign OF 1896, when scores of thou
!, lnds of Democrats deserted the
y party standard to vote for McKinle
u persisted through the administl
ion of Roosevelt and is with
now. Many of the Mckinley Den
y Gratis, so called. became Roosev'
{ Democrats, some Of them are ne
: Taft Democrats, occupying the son
( what anomalous position of profel
: ng to be Democrats upon broad I
tional questions of party diiferen
but electing to line up with the /
d publican party until, as they sa
r. their own party should return to
l. ancient landmarks and they cor
e 20 back once more to the support
l. he old faith in a reiuyenated orga
{, zation devoted to its propagation a
maintenance The day of the retu
IF Democracy to its old position ;
pears to be as far off as ever, a
these allies in the natural order
9 things are becoming more and me
y, contented with their new found
Il egiance and doubtless many of tn,
y will vote the Republican ticket
Z he remainder of their lives-unlt
. and here is the point, the Republic
Ie party in its turn proves to be
unfaithful to the will of the peol
i rs their own party has been
., SO, then, the drift of the indep,
II dent thinkers in the Democra
J. ranks hoc tbuq for haop tomnp1 }