Arizona republican., 1914-05-25
COMMON SENSE AS APPLIED TO
 POLITICS
(By Geo. 8. Wilcox

mentS to organize themselves into Good Government Leagues" or place non partisan tickets in the field, thus recognizing the fact that political par ties that have been ill power for a long term of years are apt to ignore the wishes of the rank and file of their parties. and run their local govern ments for the benefit of the few who hold the offices
 The honest voter. regardless of his party relation or utilization, never hesi- tates to vote for these non-partisan candidates in local elections. if he is satisfied the candidates are more hon est and better qualified to fill the of flee than are the candidates of his ring controlled party.
 We have the greatest respect for the voter who is broad enough to break away from his party in this manner when the good of his community de- mands It: but these same honest voters when approached on the subject of voting in the same patriotic and intel ligent manner when the good of their state or the nation demands it. will quite often, in fact, most always dodge the issue by telling you that they and their fathers before them have been democrats. republicans or, socialists for years and that they cannot think Of severing their party ties
 This attitude on the part of an in telligent voter seems absurd to us. They admit that the local party leaders are working, not for the best interests of i their community, nor for the best in terests of their party as q whole. but for their own personal interests. They 1 may admit that the same conditions exist in the state and nation, but as those conditions are more remote, they fail to rise to the call of patriotism as | against partisanship
 1 The progressive party is made up of | the thinking men and women of this nation who were broad enough and patriotic enough to throw off the old 1 party yoke, both local and national, 1 when they became convinced that the old parties had fallen into the hands | of those who had lost all sense of pat riotism and justice. This party at it's | people to correct certain specified evils, | and this contract seemed so fair and equitable that over 4,000, 900 republi- cans and democrats signed it and have dedicated themselves to the work Of carrying out this contract; and where
 ever it has been possible to do so, they
 have kept faith with the people.
 Some of our good friends of both the
 old parties, now inform us that they
 believe our contract is a good one, that
 all it's provisions are just and equita ble, and some of them admit that their own party leaders are untrustWorthy, but, as they have always done business with
 the old republican or democrat corpor
 ation. they feel that they cannot change
 their place of business, regardless Of
 the fact that their old firm has be-
 come corrupt and untrustWorthY. They
 tell us that at one time their organi
 zation was conducted by officers who
 were honest and conducted their busi-
 ness in q manner satisfactory to the
 majority of it's stock holders and fol
 that reason they cannot leave the olt
 firm although it is now controlled b1
 officers who are using the organization
 for their own selfish interests. These
 good people even go so far as to invite
 us to come back. place our contract 1T
 the hands of these same corrupt off cials and trust to them and providence
 for a faithful carrying out of this con tract with the people. Of course thl: | proposition is one that any business man would call absurd. If business , man finds that a corporation or firn , with whom he has been doing busine , for years. has elected new officers an that these new officers are cheatin, 2 him in every transaction he has witt - them, he will not hesitate one mlnut l about transferring his business to an E other house whose management h I knows to be honest. He cares nothin s for the name" then; "Smith" sound r as good to him as Jones. but thi :, same business man will hesitate lon |, time before he will leave his politics
 iparty, no matter how rotten it's man s agement has become. Does this nc [ seem inconsistent?
 = My friends the time has come for 70 s to choose; you have your choice (
 prOgressiveism or democracy. TheI t are enough progressives now in tn 1t United States to defeat. and keep C e defeating the old republican machin e from now until kingdom come. The
 are not quite enough progressves 1t defeat the national democratic organ Q zation. As between the two old pa at ties the real progressive would rath n See the semi democratic party in poV CT than the organization that made u cl progressive party d necessity. Wi
 the assistance Of honest republican
 the progressive party can defeat t
 democratic organization and thus cor
 out it's contract with the people. No
 take your choice come with us or li under democratic administration. Yi
 say our platform is all right; in fac
 those who do your thinking for you :. your old political bosses threaten =. steal our platform. and kidnap O .t leader. They wish to use the plan |, from our platform to patch up thu I sinking ship and use our leader to pi
 her over the political shoals to t - harbor of refuge. Of course the pira < crew, will be in the cabin, ready
 ovcrpower the pilot and take posse
 sion of the old craft after she h ~ safely arrived
 m We progressivcs cannot stand f