The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-09-16
''IF THIS BE TREASON, ETC.

II lHlS DE kEASON, EIC.
/ This writer was born and bred as a
republican. But we have never been a
'stalwart," "stand- -patter,' ''stand-
stiller, ''insurgent'' or "progressive"-
just simple republican. We believe
that the great bulk of the republican
party have been and are just the same
sort of republicans,
We have had our personal opinion of
such men as Cannon, Aldrich, Hale,
LaFollette, Cummins and others as
men and politicians. We have our
opinions OF Col. Roosevelt and of Presi-
dent Taft We have some settled be-
liefs on the question of the tariff and OF
the manner in which it was handled by
the last Congress. We have some
settled convictions ON the subjects of
capital and labor aud of the legislation
that has been made in respect to tho
regulation of the monopolies of each of
these.
We believe that three -fourths of the
rank and file of the republican party of
this country agree with US in our
opinions. Then what is the matter
with the republican party?
If the bulk of the rank and file are
all right, then the inevitable conclusion
is, the fault is with the leaders Of the
party. 1t is very easy to lead men or
sheep ia the direction they wish to go.
But when the flock, whether of men or
sheep, will not follow their shepherds
then something is either wrong with
the flock or the herders.
just now, the shepherds seem to be
trying to force the partisans into going
two ways at once. When two forces of
equal power are opposed, the result is
no motion whatever. The bulk of the
republican party. are today in this
position. They are inactive. The rest
of the party that are in motion are
moving in the direction of democracy.
Perhaps The greater trouble with the
leaders is that each lot, whether they
are regulars, and-patters, insurgents.
Rooseveltians, Taftites or whatnots,
each think they are the party. Mr..
Roosevelt assumes that he and his ideas
are the only true patterns, Mr.. Cannon
thinks that there would be no party left
il he vacated the speakers chair, Mr.
LaFollette proclaims that he is tho
great John tho Baptist of the new ais
.pensation, etc.
For the last two years all these men
and many others have been engaged In
telling the party and the aest Of the
world how bad the others are IN mutual
xlifcation-and now, the partisans
begins to believe them all and-Maine
went democratic on Tuesday for the
first time in thirty years.
Every ten years .or so the same sort of
upheaval occurs within the party lines,
and after the party has puread itself,
the old party begins again-but the
leaders, who thought themselves the
He0AGy -t30SOs OAo0 kSo0G0Os So f.f4 x
II is eFident that the present is.one Of
the times when the democratic steength
is the republican weakness. It would
mean permanent success for
the democrats, only that history has
proven time .and-again, that they do the
same thing Is do the repablicans when
IN power. only they do itanuch duickar.
About four years is their limit, and 81 |
that time the republicans get licked
into shape and start on another te4
years. Thus history repeats itself. |
The net result Of stalwartisa and In
surgentism is democratic victary
though it don't mean that TN demo
Gratis win the victory. l1thss means |
defeat 81 both stalwaEts and inssrgsnts
and q Tar . that eoep evsi5 tue
republican VIII Eeioics. II isyt trsthsrI
bitter medicine but it is hetltpf IS taks
It than die.