The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-27

arcs IA the 1utNIe dAu -
taticn. but they will have less and ies
nAuence. Indeed, false statements
about an opponent helps the canoi-
date unjustly assailed and nJufes the
marty guilty OF striving TO WIN oy La.Se
reports. No longer is it even wis
pered, we must fight the deVii VIZ,
fire but we have found the prac.ica
wisdom OF the words or the GeoIEla
i1,rist. who said: DO not hight the
devil with fire it is his own Weapo
and he will win with it. But hSnt the
devil with truth. He knows notnlhs
about it. and it is the only weapon
ia employ to bring abouth is unoo-
ing
Translate Principles Into Action
4 long as we had only two pollt-
| cal parties, the tendency was 10 reSafu
a political party as an army: II Wa
to sjeeD on it's arms, and checR the
enerrys first advance. The ieaoer oi
| the opposite party was an enemy u VIC
| destroyed. He was equally 10 De op-
| posed when he stood for a good as LOT
q bad measure. That partisanship
thought no good could come out OF
the opposition. De we not owe 10 the
tendency to multiply parties, as well
as IN the more tolerant spirit OF U
time. the coming of the day when
members of political parties are no
longer daily in battle array IL Was
easier for men to be lined up against
the foe when there were only two
parties than now, when we nave hve
parties. all Of sfficient strength 70
command consideration. Certainly
the fact that there are more than TWO
parties has made for the ending or
the period when politics was war. II
is now rather and emulation or com
petition to see what party can by It's
-ooora orA ire nPnoYan convince the
voters that it is the best
Of public service; and that is the test.
No longer do men vote the Democratic
ticket because Andrew ackson was
the hero of New Orleans or for the
Republican party because Abraham
Lincoln was the great war President.
. We no longer live in the past and par
: ties cannot live upon past perform
ances and past professions. h par
. ties divide upon principles, but this
: hour cares little for principles unless
those who profess them translate
those principles into action that meets
the needs Of this practical age.
= Multiplicity of Political Parties.
1t is not probable that this genera
+ ton will again witness a return to the
conditions when only two parties con-
tested for supremacy. Two parties
were all that were needed when our
= national life was less complex and
simpler problems pressed for solution
But today there are such divergent
= views and such varying politica.
creeds that men who believe in these
opposing views cannot find a congen.
ial party home in either of the two
old parties. What are they to do? NJ
matter what politicians or partisan:
e may advise, the truth is that men wht
~ think alike will find a common grount
IS where they car unite cor q common
s purpose. 1t is because this is a fac
:, that we have five large political par
y ties in the United States. There i
ia nothing to fear for our institution
y because we have more than two par
s. ties. Nothing could be more stifin,
" to free expression and the best publ,
l. service than to say to men who do no
- agree with either old party that the,
~ must accept what would be to then
ol the least Of two evils.
~ Il dare predict that this generation
= Will not see a return of the time whe,
- all the voters will be shut up to tn
= necessity OF belonging to one or tn
A other of the two old parties. We shaI
see here what is seen in all Europea
-, cOuntrles-as many parties as Their
are large schools Of political though
- 1t is better that men shall be associa
ted to secure the policies In whic
!, they belleVe than that we shall hav
a due between two parties. r,
~ whether it is best or not, one thin
GO $ sure: The American voters, edr
Gated and awake to the larger oues
- tons of the day, will not ally then
a. selves under any party banner unie;
IT symbollzes the political doctrine
aao which win their approval. IF i,
necessary to have only two part.
49, to afford a place for honest men !
work out their theories of Coyernre,
ih we will hav but two parties, but
there be need for five large partie
:; we shall have that number. Part.
are valuable only as they are agero;<
- to give effect to the will of the Ioo
who compose them. When thev f.
- TO exist as effective agencies for 20,
-, rylng out sound principles. they -,
,ut - SOLUTIONS