La Junta tribune., 1914-09-12
A NONPARTIsaN PARTY.

who Will be remem bered By many
people OF this city as one of-the at
fractions al the only Chautauqua
ever pulled OFF In this city, delivered
and address a short time ago before
the first national conference on pop
ular government held at Washing
ton. D. c. The title OF the address
was "a Nonpartisan Party" and IT
gives expression TO sentiments that
are particular appliea BILE to political
conditions that now exist In Colora-
do. At the present time this state
Is the victim o! rotten politics and
it's very existence Is at stake. The
National Popular Government Lea
que. before whom this address was
delivered. Is a protest against parti-
zanship and the evils that follow in
It's wake, Colorado Is fair sam
pie OF what happens 10 a govern
meut when partisanship runs wild
as II has In this state during the past
six years. Every appointive office
within the gift of the state admins
tration has been decided entirely
upon the ground OF partisanship, and
because there were not enough Jobs
to 20 around. the powers that BE-
created hundreds OF positions through
the medium OF useless boards. un-
necessary commissions and pestifer.
Gus inspectors, whose chief end and
aim was TO make life burden for
people all over the state The one
supreme qualification OF the appli-
cant 10 any OF these positions was
his partisanship. and - you ever In
spected some OF the inspectors that
we're sent out you we're probably con
WINGED that their only qualification
for the job was the fact that they
belonged TO the democratic party.
In Colorado this FALL partlsanship
is going to cut very little figure
Thousands Of democrats are going a.
vote for men who stand for law and
order and the things that are in ac-
cord with their own convictions OF
what is right The democratic par
Is In state convention assembled re
fused TO stand for Law and order
and also refused TO endorse the Tit
tie blind governor Who aid the best
he oould-unaided and alone, when
deserted by every state official IN
the capitol building. saw. one.
Concerning parties and partisan
ship. Senator Norris says:
Parties are only instrumental
ties OF government aud are useful
only TO the eStent that they improve
government Whenever the party
spirit Is so hirh or so powerful tina,
men bllndiy follow IL. then party
government becomes detrimental 70
good government and the very OH
OF its organization Is perverted.
Whenever the citizenship OF any par
~ Is not absolutely free TO vote It's
convictions. then party has been plac-
ed above country and popular gov
ernmcnt l. retarded The people
rule only when they are unoontroll.
I'd by the biased prejudice OF parii-
sanship They are IRE. only When
they are uncoerced. and men are
political slaves when through the
spirit OF partisanship they perform
governmental functions under re-
straint and coercion Even though
We are moved only by desire to
keep out party right. We can perform
no higher function than 10 condemn
I, or vote against Il whenever We
believe II Is wrong II l. the duty Of
every patriotic citizen 10 condemn
wrong or evil In bis own party lust
as quickly and with the same sever
iiy a. though he discovered q, IN
some other party. and he ought TO
be just as anxious 10 uncover the
wrong IN his own party a. h. is 10
expose It In any other party rub.
Tic officials should get out from un.
der the erroneous Impression aud
the wrong belief that has sometimes
heretofore existed. that In their Of
fetal capacity they are serving a
party when the official or the ciii.
zen Is serving his country best. II he
Is no, then serving his party best 1,
logically follows that there is som..
thing wrong With his party. "vo,s
your ieke, straight. regardless oi
everything else f. the slogan Of the
political boss and tn. manager OF the
partisan machine. But the modern
progressive oi,ircn answers By say.
ing: Scratch your ticket freely
and on all occasions when In yous
heart you believe that the popular
Will will be promoted thereby. -
Partisanship In the pa,t has hoe, N