Omaha daily bee., 1916-11-20
A Voice From Minnesota

81 don't carry label any more; | vote for
the best man. regardless of politics"
This is typical utterance from many Mime
sofa voters in these days OF nonpartsan lcgis-
latures personal politics, and anemic party or
CARNATIONS. Independent voting, long extollcd
as virtue, has grown in Minnesota to such a
!egree that it has broken down the political
fiber of citizenship. Personality rather than
principle is what counts now with the great mass
OF the voters.
The presidential campaign of 1916 has ac-
centuated this condition Not only is party
organization nearly destroyed, but large per-
centAge of the voters really belong to no party.
They claim no political allegiance. The reaction
against the old political machine has gone to
the opposite extreme, which is chaos.
Political conditions have been unsettled all
over the country this year. but probably worst
of all here in Minnesota.
The once strong party spirit, the party allie
glance that could give q reason for the faith
that was in it. is weak as dish-water in these
days, Real leadership has almost disappeared.
Young voters. for the most part, did not align
themselves at all.
Thinking men," politically speaking, were
Thousands made up their minds" with the least
possible effort. They hadn't studied the issues
on their merits. They made their choices through
prejudice, through some whim or catchword.
"Tll never vote for man who wears whsk-
ers," said one who had found "a reason" for OPP
said another, forgetting that every opposition
candidate for president in the country's history
has necessarily knocked the administration in
power Everywhere the same sort of trivial talk
was heard from men who boast of their indie
pendence.
These men are not republicans, democrats,
progressives or anything else. The fact is, they
are nonpartisans, which means neither fish,
flesh, fowl nor good red herring Priding
themselves on their independence, they really
tba.r oil. of r,11au
lack Of solid ground beneath their feet.
The "mugwump" of thirty years ago was
thinking independent, force for progress in
political affairs. The honest independent thinker
in many campaigns has turned the scales toward
better things. But the unthinking independent
is ready tool of demagogues, dangerous factor
in the electorate.
Is it merely coincidence that this condition
has come about in Minnesota, with its peculiar
nonpartisan system? Is the weakness of party
organization 'danger1
Party organization in Minnesota was weak
ened first by the direct primary. 1t was fairly
strong up to the time the primary was extended
to state officers, thus doing away with gather
nss OF party men IN &c conventions The state
CARNATIONS. Then came the nonpartisan law
and dealt them death blow First judges were
made nonpartisan, move to take the judiciary
out Of politics. Then came nonpartisan city
elections, looking to business administration"
of cities.
Then came bill to extend the nonpartisan
law to county officers. There seemed no good
reason to draw party lines on these minor PUBLIC
servants. But unexpectedly the nonpartisan
legislature idea was grated onto the bill. 1t
cry" influence, and was put through the 1918
legislature without a glimmer, of the conse
quences
Nothing is left for the party ballot but ma
tional and state officers and members of con-
gress No candidate running in territory
smaller than congressional district has the
party label. The local candidate, without ex-
ception, is pale-blue "nonpartisan,' generally
fearing to say his soul is his own and avoiding
party issues and candidates as if they were small
pox.
Without local organization, there is no longer
any party solidarity, no propaganda, no com
munity leaders interested in preaching political
principles. As result there is little clear think
ing on the issues OF the day.
The tariff is "too hard" and fewvoters seem
to realize how it concerns them. 1t is dry
stuff" They no longer realize that the nations
tariff policy is vital to the individual, that it is
a most practical business proposition, not only
for the business man, but for the farmer and
the wage-earner, that the nations trade bal
ance" is vital factor in the prosperity of all
of us. that American labor cannot compete with
30-cent labor abroad and keep up its standard
of living and its purchasing power.
Instead OF studying such questions and form
ing principles for themselves, many voters in
present-day Minnesota take their politics from
biboards headlines, campaign Autographs, or
mouthy street takers. In this way they lose no
time from the movies
Public men in Minnesota are beginning to
realize the condition and its cause. They blame
the nonpartisan craze for the political indiffer-
ence and Stiffness of the day, and from all parts
of the state is coming a demand for repeal Of
the nonpartsan law, at least to the legislature
Coupled with it is another demand fol restoring
political conventions to an extent that will bring
men OF like faith together once more to DELHI
crate to voice their ideas, and as leaders to light
the way for the rank and file Of parties built on
real principles.