The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1910-11-24
not A VICTORY
FOR DEMOCRACY
So Says Senator LaFollette Of
Wisconsin ;ot the Late
Unpleasankness.
It Was q Condemnation of the
Tait Administration and
His Cabinet.

cut the east IN the November election |
Us not a Democratic victory. It lie a |
declaration in plain terms that the peo-
pie of this country win have no more
Senate and House committees in the
American Congress dictated in Nor
gan's private Office, no more bills drawn
by his attorneys in New York, Phila-
delphia, and Boston, He declares it'll
is a ''repudiation Of Aldrichism in the
Senate and Cannonism in the House."
and condemns the '.Taft administra-
tion, Ballinger, Wickersham and their
like"
"What was the real significance of
the election of November 8th?" asked
Senator LaFollette in his leading edi-
torial in LaFollette's Weekly Maga-
zine. "Was it an expression of conf
dence in the Democratic party? By an
Overwhelming vote in 1908, the people
refused to trust that party with con-
troll. The judgment was deliberate,
conclusive. There could be no reversal
of that decision, no hope of restored
public confidence for the Democratic
party except on record of substantial
reformation and achievement, COM
manding public approval.
''Since 1908, the Democratic partv
has achieved nothing. Indeed, its
record in congress has been such as to
confirm the judgment of 1908. AL
drich in the Senate and Cannon in the
House haye at all times been able to
find enough special interest Democrats
ready either to absent themselves dur
ing roll call or, if required, to be pres
ent and vote for the System, whenever
their votes were necessary. The Demo-
cratic party in the election of Novem-
ber 9th did net gaissEa.. vote on the
strength Of it's own achievement.
Judged as party by it's record, it
would have been as badly beaten as two
years ago. In fact, the true Democ-
racy of the Democratic party has been
elbowed out by the Special interests,
and progressive Democrats have aided
in progressive legislation only where
they have been allied with the progress
sive Republicans.
ut was not Democratic victory in.
the states where Democracy won. It.
was Republican defeat. It condemns
the Taft administration = Ballinger,
Wickersham, Hitchcock, and their like.
1t is reputation of Aldrichlsm in the
Senate and Cannonism in the House.
1t is a stern warning to the Republican
party to renounce in executive and leg
islatlve departments of government the
leadership of administration officers,
senators, and representatives who are
in fact the petty servants of Morgan's
system. 1t is a declaration in plain
terms that the people of this country
will have no more Senate and House
committees in the American Congress
dictated in Morgan's private office, no
more bills drawn by his attorneys in
New York, Philadelphia, and Boston.
1t serves notice that laws shall he
enacted and government administered
in the public interest or the men and
the party responsible will be driven out
of power.
The election was otherwise deeply
significant. Where insurgency was
strong, there was real progressive lead
ership, loyal and unfaltering, it won
loyal and unfaltering support. No pro-
gressive leader, however popular, was
able to make the progressive vote SUBJ
servient to any party. Wherever at
tempted, thousands Of progressives
withheld their votes in disgust or cast
them for Democrats as rebuke and a
warning against any attempts to COM
promise the progressive cause for
party advantage.
'In the final analysis, the significance
of the November election is that the
American people did their best to ex-
press their approval of progress and
their disapproval Of reaction and COM
promise. .