Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-08-15
aAnIrY 81 THrRD PARfYfslI.

n I.
lily Of especial interest hereD
While / was an active supporter
of Colonel Roosevelt in the Chicago
convention, have not deemed II
advisable to Join with him in his
Ieffort to form a third party. In
reaching this conclusion, /. OF course.
HAD to consider the question as to
whether there existed sufficient rea-
son for leaving the Republican party
and joining in the formation OF a
new party. The reasons urged by
those who have Joined in this move
ment are that the Republican party
is q sectional party, that 1t has out
Lived It's usefulness. and that 1t is
not In accord with the progressive
spirit of the day, on account Of the
fact that its machinery is in the con-
troll of men who are either conser-
vative or the representatives Of spec
ial interests.
The Republican party is no less
sectional today than 1t was in the
days OF Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses s.
Grant, James A. Garfield, William
Mckinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
The splendid service that 1t has rem
dered to the people of the United
States and to civilization has been
rendered Notwithstanding the fact
that a large majority of those who
composed 1t lived north of Mason
and Dixon's line.
The only force in this argument
is that, as the organization in the
South is largely an office-holders'
organization, 1t is easier for special
interests and those who wish to use
the party for the accomplishment OF
selfish purposes to dominate and
control 1t. The question, therefore,
is as to whether the Republican party
Is now dominated by men who rep
resent special interests and as to
whether It Is a more difficult task to
free the party from their control
than 1t is to organize a new party
and through 1t secure control of the
government. The action of the ma
tional committee in passing upon the
contesting delegations for seats In
the convention is offered as proof
that the party Is under the control
of such men.
Notwithstanding the record that
has thus been made, have been un-
willing to concede that the Republic
can party has ceased to be useful
Iagency Of good government. be-
lieve a large majority Of the Re-
publican voters believe in progressive
policies and principles of govern
iment, and that those voters can make
their opinions effective through the
existing party machinery. And
believe that the success of progress
sive principles can be more promptly
and effectively accomplished through
1.-THE Republican party than by the
Organization of third party.
Assuming the truth OF all that
has been charged against the ma
|tional committee, such an abuse of
authority has not occurred before,
and the fact that 1t occurred this
year does not mean that it will oc-
cur again. At all events, the acts
of few men in unfairly using party
Authority for the accomplishment Of
political results can hardly be said
ito be just basis for the destruction
| of party organization. Similar
acts Of unfairness have occurred be-
fore in county, congressional land
state conventions, and yet the value
and effectiveness of the party, as
whole, have continued to grow from
year to year. Those who are thus
justifying their action in leaving the
Republican party and Joining in the
formation of new party must of
necessity realize that the same con-
ditions of which they complain in
the Republican party may arise in
any party that is organized.
What assurance have those who
join in the formation of a new party
that four years from now the mem
bers of the national committee of
| that marty will not uEe in some nm
fair way, their authority as against
delegates selected in favor of some
candidate for the presidency? No
party can claim for itself a monopo-
ly of honest men, and no party can
make itself proof against dishonest.
selfish or designing men securing
positions of power or authority
therein.