Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-06-28
CHOOSING SIDES.

Now that the conventions have been
held, the platforms drawn and the can
didates named, the citizens have be-.
gun the task of estimating the advan.
tages of the alternatives offered, and
the better course to follow. Political
contests, like military campaigns, gen.
orally proceed by indirection. They
attain their objective mainly by flank
attacks. Issues are drawn in such
vague and general terms that little
that is definite is to be expected from
an observance. 1t Is not the goal
marked by the platforms that counts,
so much as the direction in which the
parties are going; for, despite candi-
dates and declarations, every party
pursues a more or less consistent
course through term of years. Thus
the Conservative party of Great Brit
ain stands for imperialism, conscrip-
tion and all manner of legal and her
ed1tary privileges; while the Liberals
are more inclined toward democracy.
The policy Of neither Is clearly defin-
ed, and the exigencies of politics may
at times find them changing sides;
but their courses are sufficiently con-
s1stent to warrant the imperialist, and
those of kindred beliefs, in allying
themselves with the Conservatives.
A similar distinction is to be made
between the Democratic and Repub-
lican parties. The Republican plat
form consists mainly of a general con.
domination of the acts and policies of
the Democratic party and the Admin
1stration. Whatever has been done
was wrong; all that should have been
done was evaded; and the Republican
party promises to undo the one and &C.
compl1sh the other. The Democratic
platform points with pride" to what
the party has already done; and It
promises, If given a new lease of DOW
err, to continue its course. It must be
confessed that the quality of it's dem
Ccracy Is somewhat strained. Yet it
can rightfully claim some accomplish
ments that are credit. The new tar
1ff, imperfect as it is, is better than
the old one. The Federal Reserve act
has put some order and stability into
banking. The Federal Trade Commits
sion may be able to modify some of
the evils that spring from legal mon
opohes. The restraint of Injunction
addicted Judges tends to the restora-
ton of personal liberty. The rural
credits act will relieve some farmers
OF one Of their burdens and will do
something toward convincing them all
that 1t is monopoly, and not the lack
OF credit, that holds them back. The
seamen's act removed the final vestige
OF legal involuntary servitude. And,
altogether, the action Of the party, as
parties go, compares favorably with
that of its predecessors. It had been
hoped during the past three years that
Congress or the Administration would
show a greater appreciation of the
real and fundamental evils underlying
Present conditions. But this was not
to be. Such a manifestation must
await further education.
The choice of sides this year would
seem to lie in the general course; rath-
er than in definite promises, of the
parties. The mass of citizens make
no choice; they vote by habit; but the
intelligent voter will consider the ten
dency of events. If he cannot have a
positive good, he will at least choose
the lesser Of the two evils. The Pub
lie has never been the organ of any
party. 1t has been, and still is, a
journal of fundamental democracy.
But while holding to the philosophy
of political and economic liberty it has
always felt itself free to support men
and parties that seemed most likely
at the time to make for justice. And