Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-07-15
INSURGENTISM..

'S"'s
Devils Lake Journal: The best de-
fnition of an insurgent heard was CIV
en- lately by a regular republican who
said, "They are the fellows who preach
democratic principles and want repub-
lican Offices
According to this the Journal thinks
that the insurgents agree in principle
with the democrats and are working
toward the same ends with the excep-
ton of the men to carry out the meas
ures they support. This idea has sud-
denly come home to the Journal so
forcibly that the definition is charac-
terized as the "best" ever
This statement OF the Journal calls
to mind the policy of the Journal dur
ing the past four or five years. In all
that time the Journal has day in and
day out vented it's choicest bits of
sarcasm, it's fiercest personal attacks,
and the entire weight of it's editorial
columns, in deriding and belittling the
men and measures of the insurgents.
The Journal calls the insurgents every
thing but criminals and in the same
breath says that the insurgents have
supported democratic principles. The
pathway of the Journal editorial policy
is devious and passeth understanding.
Today no man knoweth what it will
be on the morrow. Yet in all the
maunderings of it's columns in the
realm of local, state, and national
politics one purpose and only. one has
shown itself constant and unchanging:
That purpose has been to disrupt
and disorganiZe the republican party
especially the local party. Today the
Journal taunts the stalwarts. Tomor-
row it fires broadside at the insur-
gents. On the next day it shoots at
every republican head in sight. 1t
seems to have special fondness for
batting the insurgents and is ever
ready to lend itself to their undoing
This article is not a defense of in
surgentism. It needs no defense. It
is movement within the republican
ranks, sometimes misguided, some
times unsuccessful, but at it's heart
honest, sincere, and patriotic. It is a
movement for the expression of the
ideas Of millions of the stanchest re-
publican voters the party can boast
of. 1t Is movement which Is writ
ing its principles large upon our ma
tional public life The man who does
not at this day recognize the SINGER
ity of the movement, its ultimate good
to party politics and governmental
policies, is either blind to political
tendencies or woefully deceived by self
interest. He may not agree with all
insurgentism agitates, but he can not
fail to grant the honesty of it's opinions
and the courage of it's followers.
We say that it is a movement within
the party. 1t is such and the party
is big enough, broad enough and endur.
ing enough to have such a movement
within itself. Such movement is the
inevitable result of long continued
holding of power. In the light of poll
ical history it is not the worst thing
which can happen to party. 1t means
life, vigor, new ideas, new courage,
new issues and greater response of
public sentiment.
Thus we grant to the insurgent
cause the unquestioned belief in its
sincerity. The fact that it may have
leaders who are self-seeking and in.
sincere at times does not alter the
great vital principle of the movement
the desire for change, for new remedi'
es and new methods. In the light OF
this same belief in the sincerity of the
insurgent cause we grant our belief
in the sincerity of stalwart republi
cans. There may be other differences
growing from desire for place and
power, to be found among the leaders
of both wings Of the republican party;
but in the ranks 1t is difference Of
method, not Of desire for different
ends. Those ends can and are being
attained by the settling Of differences
the honest effort for principle and the
sane concession to differences Of opin
ion which characterized the course Of
the republican party In the last con
gress. Il: +.*sc@#l.. y. Z: $s32z
On the great issues of the day the
final line Of progress must be- a result