Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-12-28

polls? And again. can it be that
this henchman is endeavoring to
effect a LaFollette organization to
boom the boss of Wisconsin for
president? In justice to Senator
Garfield it should be said in this
connection that while he fell for
the trickery to the extent of sign
ing the call, he did not sign the
'credential card' and accordingly
will not be one Of the chosen few
at the "mass' convention to which
admittance will be allowed upon
Identification. Min n eapolis
Journal.
Senator Garfield. nor anyone else.
no matter how valuable his SER
vices to the community may have
been on other lines. can lay claim to
being a true progressive who are
opposed to popular government.
How the committee in charge of
the convention in question could
have adopted any milder test than
the one quoted and still lay any
valid claim Of promoting a PRO
gressive" convention goes far be-
You'd our comprehension.
This much one must admit, how
ever, and that is that the test i'm
posed would admit members of
other parties than the republican
and therefore it could hardly be de-
'signated as test Of Republican,
ism. If we are not mistaken, every
other party that has a legal status
in the state has these ideas incor-
porated in their platforms. But it
is right that every party should
adopt them, and therefore it is en-
couraging to see this movement
within the dominant party to take
steps to crystalize sentiment for
these principles.
The true test of progressive
ness'' is away from partisanship.
That is the reason why direct NOM
nations and direct legislation make
a good test for progressive move
ments. With direct nominations
and direct legislation parties in the
old sense will disappear. People
will then have to rally around men
and principles directly without the
intervening political machine which
was formerly supposed to represent
some distinct principles but which
long ago has ceased to represent
anything but the lust for public
office or spoils by the members
thereof.
We know that many members of
the minority parties do not agree
with US on this proposition. They
are just as party tiled to their little
organizations as the great majority
are to their big parties. Be it far
from US to decry these minority
parties like the Prohibition or Pub
lie Ownership parties. Their mem
bers are actuated by higher motives
than those possessed by the place
hunters Of the majority parties, and
they are devoting their lives to a
most valuable educational work.
But under our present system they
would speedily become as rotten as
our present majority parties if
placed in power. Every place-hun-
ter who could shake himself loose
from the old parties would join the
movement at the first opportunity.
It is true that if these parties came
into power and adopted these prin-
ciples into law they would in that
way bring about the change. per-
haps to the detriment Of their own
organization but to the great bene-
fit of the state at large.
The "progressive'' republican
COMMITTEE made a mistake when
they made an exception of Senator
Garfield. There is too much of this
riding on the fence or astraddle of
two political horses. Why should
he be admitted to this convention
if he does not believe IN the cardin.
al principles of the gathering? We
have seen this exempIitied so often
at near range. At home the polit-
icians have been strenuously shout
ing for county option and progress
sive measures in order to remain