Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-04-18

ballot by petition. They are thereby
not disfranchised nor prohibited from
nominating their candidates and in
this way support their candidates and
principles the same as any democrat
or republican.
This is about the gist of the in:
surgent leaders logic:
1.-THE legislature having the right
to pass u law restricting all churches
within the state to two creeds, Meth
odist and Baptist, it would not then
have right to compel those who take
part in the affairs of these two
churches to declare by oath or other
wise that they believe in the princi.
pies thereof. To do this the insurg.
ent leaders claim, would disfranchise
the Catholics, Presbyterians, Luther.
ans, Jews and Mormons, these diff
iering radically in their principles
and creeds with those laid down by
the Methodists and Baptists. Accord.
ing to the insurgents argument, it
should make no difference what prin-
ciples the members represented or
their belief it would be unjust to
compel a declaration of creed as a
qualification in order to share in the
management of the affairs of the
churches they were attempting to
participate in."
Do the insurgents expect for a min
ute, the republicans who believe in
party principles will stand for the
idea of democrats, socialists, indie
pendents, ETC., placing the badge OF
republHanism upon the candidates
which they, the republicans, are sup
posed to support at the polls in No.
vember, when those assisting in the
nomination of candidates do not be-
lieve in the purposes and principles
of the republican party, and when
at the November election these very
nominees are being opposed and voted
against by their primary election al
lies? Hardly. The badge of repub-
licanism should be placed on insurg-
ent as we'll as stalwart candidates
by majority of the legal voters who
believe in the principles of the re-
publican party. If candidates do not
believe in these principles they are
not entitled to the votes of the party
who believe in party principles.
When insurgent republicans are
nominated do they depend upon the
independents, socialists and demo-
Gratis to elect them to office? Hardly.
The democrats are fairly charitable
in voting for republicans in the prim-
airy elections only, but they reform
before the general election.
We quote the following alarming
sentiments from recent article pub
lished in the chief progressive organ
in the state:
Progressive leaders over the state
are alarmed. They fear that the old
machine will be in control in June
if the Independents are barred from
registering" (as republicans) "A meet.
ing probably will be called by Chair
man Tucker of the progressive league
of the state when the Independents
and progressives (no matter what
principles they believe in) will be
urged to register as republicans"
The author of this quotation might
have consistently said they were to
urge voters, irrespective of party, to
swear they are republicans.
Is this reform party of which we
have heard so much in their dire ex.
tremeties going out over the state to
court, encourage and advise men to
commit perjury and stultify their con-
science in order to secure factional
advantage for men in whose political
principles they do not believe? The
sentiments expressed in the quotation
would indicate it.
Is this fair example of the hon
esty and decency in politics advo-
Gated by the insurgent leaders?
Is this the principle reform" laid
down in the first section Of the prim-
airy law?
Is this the Interpretation the in
surgents place upon the words ire
form the methods" as indicated in the
quotation from the LIST section of the
primary election law?
is this what they term fairness,
honesty and business to the people
ana the republican party to solicit
voters who do not believe in the prin-
icples Of the party, who do not ex-
pect to, and will not vote the republi-
can ticket in the general election; to
e + + = + = + + = q q . = 4 . q