Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-06-12

between political parties today are
vastly less than the differences within
the parties Tie great gult of divi-
sion which strikes across our whole
people pays little heed TO fading party
limos. on To any distinction In name
only. The vital separation Is be-
tweeen the partisans of government
by money for profit and the believ-
ers in government by men for human
welfare.
When political parties come to he
badly led. when their leaders lose
touch with the people, when their OBJ
pect ceases to be everybody's welfare
and becomes somebody's pi oft, 1t is
time t. change the leaders. One Of
the most significant facts of the time
is that the professional politicians
appear to be wholly unaware of the
great moral change which has come
over political thinking in the last de-
uade. They fail to see that the polit
ical dogmas, the political slogans
and the political methods of the past
generation have lost their power, and
that our people have come at last TO
judge OF politics by the eternal rules
OF right and wrong.
a new life is stirring among the
dry bones Of formal platforms and
artificial issues Morality has broken
into politics. Political leaders. trust
bred and trust-fed, find II harder and
harder TO conceal their actual char
acter. Tho biass-bound collar of
privilege has become plain upon their
neeks for all men 10 see. They are
known for what they are, and their
time is short Rut when they come
to be retired il viii be OF little use to
replace on unfaithful public servant
who wears the collar by another pub
/ lie servant with the same collar
around his neck. Above ALL what we
need In every office is free men rep
iesentins free people.
/ The motto in every prlmary-in
every election--should be this No
watch dogs of the Interests need ap-
ply.
/ The old order, standing pat in duh
misunderstanding of the great for
ward sweep Of a nation determined on
honesty and publicity in public az
! fairs. is already wearning thin under
the ceaseless hammering of the pro-
gressive onset The demand of the
/ people FOR political progress will not
/ he denied. Does any man, not blinded
by personal interest or BY the dust of
political dry rot, suppose that the
bulk Cf our people are anything else
but progressive? If such there be, let
him ask the young men, in whose
minds the policies of tomorrow first
see the light.
The people of the United states
dem2nd q new deal and a square
deal. They have grasped the fact
tthat the special interests are now in
control of public affairs. They have
decided once more to take control of
their own business. For the last ten
years the determination to do 50 has
! been swelling like n river They in
sist that the special interests shall go
out Of politics or out Of business
one or the other. And the choice will
lie with the intereSts,themseiv II
they resist. both the lnIefSts and tho
people will suffer. If wisely they
accept the inevitable, the adjustment
viii not be hard. II win do thei
business no manner Of harm to make
It conform TO the general welfare
But one way or the other, CONFORM it
must
The oveIshadowing question before
the American people today is this:
Shall the nation govern itself or shall
the interests run this country? The
one great political demand, undeily
ing all others, giving meaning to all
others, is this: The special interests
must get out of politics. The old
style leaders seeking TO switch pub
lie attention away from this one alb
sorbng and over wheIming issue arc
pitifully ridiculous and out OF date.
10 thy to divert the march Of an
aroused public conscience from this
righteous inevitable conflict by means
OF obsolete political catchwords Is like
trying to dam the Mississippi with
dead leaves
To drive the special interests out
of politics Is Il vast undertaking, for
IN politics lies their strength. If thev
resist, as doubtless they viii, II win
call for nerve. endurance. and sacil-
flee on the part of the people. It
viii be no child's play, for the power
Of privilege is great. But the power
Of our people is greater still, and
their steadiastness Is equal to the
need. The task is tremendous one
both in the demands it Will make and
the rewards It will bring. II must be
undertaking soberly, carried out
irmly and justly, and relentlessly |
followed to the very end. Two things |
alone can bring success. The first is
honesty in public men, without which |
no popular government can long sue
ceed. The second is complete public |
ity Of all the affairs in which the |
public has an interest, such as the |
DuSlHtSS OF tpippTHllplS anu DDlltltUl !
expenses during campaigns and be-
tween them. 10 these ends, many |
public servants must be |
retired, much wise legislation must |
be framed and passed ana the strug-
gle viii he bitter and long. But it |
Will be well worth all il will cost, for
government is at stake.
There can be no legislative cure-all I
for great political evils, but legisla-
ton can make easier the effective |
expression ana execution of the popu- |
lat Will. one step in this direction, |
which / personally believe should be |
taken without delay. is n law forbid
ding any senator of member OF con-
gress OF other public servant to per-
form any services for any corporation |
engaged in interstate commerce. or |
to accept any valuable consideration, 1
directly OF indirectly, rom any such /
corporation, while he is representa- |
i've of the people. ana tor "A reason
able time thereafter. If such law I
would be good for the nation In its /
affairs. similar Law should be good |
for the states and the cities in their |
affairs. And | see no reason why /
members and senators and state legis- |
lators should not keen the people in
formed OF their pecuniary interest in
interstate OF public service corpora
tions. II they have any 1t is certain
such publicity would do the public no
harm.
This nation has decided to do away