Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1911-01-13
Friday, January 18th, 1911
sTALWARTisM VS.. INsURGENTIsM

The two great political creeds or
doctrines which have contended for
supremacy in this state and nation
during the past ten years are Stall
wartism and lnsurgentism. Pitched
battles have indeed been fought be-
tween armed camps styling themselves
Democratic and Republican. They
fought out many issues, settled many
questions. But all the time a greater
and more vital cause was slowly fore
fng itself upon the mind of the Am
erlcan people. 1t was the cause of
justice for the common man, his right
20 system of laws and law enforce
ment which would give him a square
deal In the new and complex industrial
system which has grown up in the
life time of the present generation.
:, Greedy interests, waxed fat upoR the
nmltless~ resources of a great nation,
had forced their way into our no,it,.
suss al LIE until their power ,extendedsto.
point where the common man could
no longer secure that remedy for his
wrongs which rightful participation
IN popular government should give,
aim. The result was the birth of the
progressive movement or insurgent-
ISM =.
SStalwartism of the present day Is
the lineal descendent of sturdy old
Eepubhcanism of Civil war days, hand
ed down to us with all the old princI-
pals Of party loyalty and the subser>
Vaence OF smaller issues to the attain
ment of the one great end for which
.republicanism was born-the preserva-
ton o. the republic. In the old days
Stalwartisn was blessed with high
purpose, a cleancut moral creed. Its
appeal was consequently strong and
successful. But when the great end
for which Stalwartism struggled, had
been obtained, when the republic was
made impregnegable and the work Of
demonstrating our national system
completed. Stalwartism became an Of
fee seeking organization pure and
simple. Its machinery became the
nesting place Of the agents of every
greedy interest. Its cry Of party 10y
atty was the whip Of a relentless and
orally leagued the money and votes of
vice, the money and votes of priv
Iege seeking corporations, the influ-
ence and activity Of the political thug
and moral degenerate. Its respccta-
bi1itv was retained b. the iudcious
use of respectable and influential
names. It's influence was debasing
and corrupting. 1t bred socialism. II
! forced anarchism into the heart Of the
+ foreign born laboring man who found
himself trodden down under its sci
fish march. The nation has had til
great Stalwart leaders, its Conklings
Cannons, Aidrichs, and Paines. Oul
state has had its leaders also, its Nc
/. Keuzies, It's La Moures and hord'
Of smaller fry. Their influence 70
# evil has varied year by year. The!
n nave not been incapable of good, blu
VA they have consistently brought abou
* eVl In every avenue Of public life W
have allowed them to enter. The
4 s have at last attained one great and Ell
5.@ during good. They have forced me
u Gosthink about them, to see the ev
.of the system they promoted, to organ
aza TO- drive them from public lif'
They have at last dug their pit broa
enough and deep enough that they ca
. bss expediously showed into 1t and d.
Gently buried. Il ~
The struggleof 1nsurgentism or Pr
/ gressiveism has been long and discou
aging. Against it has been league
3 money, office, influence, organization
ability, everything that unlawful gal
can command. Its final triumph ha
3 come In spite Of these things Its TT
sraph has come because. like old tim