Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-24
The Issues of This Campaign

Editorial Note-Under this title The
Argus will print a series of articles from
the pen Of Paul Kersch of Rock Island.
The author does not approach the sub
ject from a partisan point of view,
wherefore his arguments ought TO car
~ weight in helping the voter who Is
still ''on the fence to obtain light and
information. The articles. in part are
Political Truth now in the hand OF the
publisher
II does not require a profound study
of past and present political processes
TO arrive at the conclusion that if the
American people mean to preserve the
blessings of free institutions they must
adhere to certain basic truths.
The government must be one of law,
not one of adventure. 1t must be
maintained for the benefit of all and
never become a government of favor
for the promotion of special privilege.
never become a government of favor
manently controlled by one political
party. but by different parties alternat-
ing in the possession of power.
There never was a political party in
a democracy, however pure at the be
ginning, that did not become more or
less corrupted. arrogant and arbitrary
by long possession of power.
The party spirit which regards party
success not merely as a means to a
higher end. but as the end itself, which
puts AFFECT obedience TO party behest
above the moral law and the dictates
Of conscience, will, If it prevails, in.
evitably destroy the virility of free in.
situations. Mankind falls naturally in.
TO the party classification and expresses
itself through that party system which
has become incorporated. actually If
not legally, in every existing consti.
tuition. Yet the whole is greater than
the part. the people than the party,
and the once sacred order of things is
sacred no longer. unless faith is jus,i-
fed by deeds"
Here and now, as nowhere else in
the world, and at no other known time
democracy has had its opportunity and
80 far has failed to utilize it. Princi-
pie has been replaced by principal;
in the name of the people the barons
Of barter govern the. selfish and I'M
scrupulous.
So much they have taken, so little
/ they have given. Contemptuously they
have frightened their grip on the equal
ity Of opportunity. Long domination
I has made them careless in their cum
ming. The people whom they have ex-
plotted have been steadily bearniEg
their lesson; that only the people can
enslave the people Free men by heri.
tage. they have served cunning mas
tiers. Will they serve longer? Not il
they realize their own power and know
the way out
They no longer mistake the nature
Of political parties. They are aware
Of the fact that the governing party
OF the present has come to that point
of its tenure where to maintain itself
in power ii must suck its sustenance
from the bounty and subsidy OF the
barons OF barter of its own creation
They have learned that this Is corrup
rion organized on a national scale and
can never be overcome so long as the
policy OF protection and special favor
prevails. and the last four years have
served to convince them that policy
and the republican party are INSOFAR
able twins
Four years ago the party promised
them a quantitive reduction OF tariff
I favors. but when al the same time and
in the same breath il accepted cam.
paign contributions from those whose
favors II promised TO curtail, the Payne
Aldrich treason was as good as born
II was snugly resting in the womb
OF the party, and neither the strength