Arizona republican., 1914-11-25
Nonpartisanship


 More and are those who believe m genuine political improvement coming to see that non partisanshp forms the basis for the attainment of the highest grade of honesty and efficiency gov ernmental administration. Throughout the country, before the recent elections, men cf prominence and newspapers of high character advising voters to avoid the party circle" to look at the be- hind the party label. Surely this does constitute good and intelligent citizenship. And the results iii many states, and to some degree in Arizona, indl- cate that there is constantly increasing proportion of nonpartisap, independent voters This intelligent class already hold the balance of power in districts and the time is not far distant when the policies of the country will be determined by it. The stand-pat politician, whether he be republican democrat, has found in many localities that there longer exists any hde-bound party en- thusasm which he may appeal. The state ment that the candidate is member of this party that, neither condemns nor consecratcs him in the eyes of the voter The question is, What does he know; is he efficient, and of integrity" not What is his party label?' Politics being taken out of politics" and the coincdent exten- sion of the woman's suffrage and the prohibition movements striking evidences of this, as well promise of a still happier future.
 The general need is for still discrimina-
 
 of securing this are proposed by those interested securing real representative government and real direct" legislation. Many advocate 2 nonpartisan ballot for elections, and that used in California year is good example of this style. There party columns this ballot opportunity given to vote the straight ticket" this ticket given to each office, under the office headings listed the candidates therefor and fol- lowing each candidate's name and in small tyne. is named the party parties by whom he has been nominated endorsed. This party classification is given only to the candidates for state congressional and legislative office-seekers, the candidates for judicial. school, county and township positions ccivng party designation. There is question but that this ballot stimulates interest in the ind vidual rather than in the party and simply forces the old-Ine straight" voter to make more ntell gent use of his elective franchise
 The comparative difficulty in voting the ballot correctly is in reality another good feature, and, such, the ire of the ward -heeler' and makes doubly difficult the work of the machine politicians whose gang voters are often of the mental type which makes it quite task to teach them correctly, even one-cross straight ticket.
 "A large proportion of American voters have ceased to attach much importance party ties" says the New Republic of New York, in commenting upon the future of the two party system "The very election that has superficialy revived the two party system furnished unprecedented number of states which chose one kind of partisan for gov ernor and another for senator. The voters are be- coming something more than superficially ndepend- They becoming exacting, discriminate, alert and aggressive They resent the necessity of proving unworthy candidates for the benefit of tisan They acquiring increasing in- terest in particular plans of social and political i'm provement, and ready to bolt in their favor ie ideas repudiated neglected. More than ever before they vote to mean something positive and definte-to count in favor of some beneficial social policy