The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-07
1T CANNOT REFORM.

III CHNNoE 1tEJ'OlSM.
In the December number of tn,
North American Review, William Nc
Donald, sometime professor of Amer
lean history in Brown University, latc
professor OF history and politlcn,
sc!enoo in Bowdoin College and au.
thor Of many political trentises, dts
cusseH the question. Can the RepubiI,
can Party Reformr' MT. Mcdonald
does not believe 1t. can. and he ad-
vances coGent reasons fer the faitf
tina, is in him. After arguing that The
party was born under a lucky star, o,
political conJunction--for itself-al,
bel, mal.gn for the country. this con
junction being represented by the
failure OF the WhiE party to satisfy
tho conscience of the North, and, fot
that matter. largo section OF the
South on the slavery question" and
the time. Mr.. Mcdonald shows how the
/ party has succeeded III spite OF It's
blindness, owing to chain of fortui-
tous circumstances and extgencics.
| He draws up n comprehensive !ndict-
( mont OF the party OF the bloody shirt
in the past, and OF the interests
since, every count OF which Is true,
these including among others, and be-
Ing especially dwelt upon, the party's
( reconstruction policy, which WAC "ar-
bitrary and high handed beyond al
most anything that the history OF
modern commemorative. rovarpr,rp+ IN,
| show" This policy, "violative as it
| was at some of It's crucial stages, of
beth the letter and the spirit OF the
Ccnstitution." aroused. as the writer
notes. In both the rank and file OF the
party widespread and determined cp-
position. Yet It was carried through,
as he charges, by terrorizin5 the su-
prome Court. destroying the power OF
the Executive. almost removing q Pres
idcnt, and reading out OF the party
thousands of able men who differed
with 1t.
Here. Mr.. Mcdonald points out We
have the first notable example of the
failure or Inability OF the Republican
party to reform--the futility OF ex-
pecting reform within the party. Mr.
Mcdonald then trAcAa the history of
similar failures-the utter breakdown
of ali subsequent attempts and prom
lscs OF party reform-aud the reasons
therefor are. he sets forth. that such
n party naturally attracted, owing to
It's efficiency in Keeping III power and
avoiding wreck, men with a stake In
the community; men whose business or
not only upon the original policy Of
the party, but also and Increasingly
upon the continuance Of that policy"
Among these arc enumerated specu-
lators, protected manufacturers rail-
way managers and promoters. lawyers
In pursuit OF lucrative corporation
practice. Office seekers great and small.
and many others. Tho Republican
party" Mr.. Mcdonald demonstrates.
has not asked It's adherents TO
serve IT withcAt pay, or from an AL
truistic devotion to the common good.
On the contrary. II has distributed
very substantial rewards of money and
power. and the recipients have been
In turn Its mainstay." However. the
, condition now is that by perfectly
natural process OF action and reac-
ton the party which at the outset had
to win supporters, Is tho creature of
It's supporters. it's life being bound UP
inseparably with the interests of those
1t has benefited.
such situation. as the writer sees
II, means that the Republicans, like
i the older Fcderalists, are essentially
i representative of the classes rather
IMAM OF the masses. "They stand for
interests not for people for spe-
( c!ai undertakings and enterprises, not
/ tor general welfare; for personal and
e'"ss ambitions. not for universal
good" That is as we see 1t also, as
irreiutabiy made manifest by the en-
tire record OF the party.
1 But Mr., Mcdonald. In conclusion.
notices that while the party. is SIN
I Joined to It's idols. there are Significant
/ Indications, positive and negative or
movement to overthrow the temple
OF those idols A Samson of dIscon.
tent Is arising among the masses
Less and less are tho lnterests ah,o m
c"'oie or coerce following among
'"e nnhenehted younger mon, tho
. clerks, the wage workers The ANAL,
/ businoSs men, the general nonu,o a.,