Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-22
PARTY SUCCESS.

senator Iummins Is human. LIS
appointing as it is to some of his
friends, while gratifying to many
Others who have supported him politi-
cally. he has decided to support Hard
ing and be regular. The conse-
Quences OF discord." he says. are So
grave that we should lift the great
value OF republican success high above
any other consideration" That is the
only claim Harding has. the necessity
for republican success and if he is
elected it will be due entirely to the
desire of republicans 10 be regular. He
IS a party liability and not an asset
as its candidate.
However, party success appears diff
ferently 10 many man engaged in
private business than IL does TO those
who must run for office 10 remain in
their present occupation. The private
citizen has no obligations to party
leaders for the help they have given
him in the past. He sees less Of mo-
mentous Importance in party success.
He takes the view that the function OF
political parties is to put up candi-
dates between which the voter is to
choose and this year many repub-
lican will prefer the kind Of man
which the democrats have proposed
for governor because the man pro-
posed by the republican party is thor
oughly and admittedly unfit.
Senator Cummins made the fight in
Iowa for the primary. He finds that
Harding won in the primary and as he
says in his letter. II do not want to see
the primary disparaged. if not re-
pudiated, by republican detection" He
. admits that Mr.. Harding and myself
have not always agreed upon public
matters. and it is quite likely that
there are subjects upon which we do
not now agree" He then says that
1T is of the first Importance that all
republican candidates for the house Of
representatives in Iowa shall be elect
ed by triumphant majorities"
The Times Republican is dsap-
pointed in both Senator Cummins and
Senator Kenyon. To US the great VAL
ue OF republican success does not rise
above the disgrace Of aiding such
man as Harding to sit in the govern
~ ri &c,
hold office assume responsibility for
the maintenance OF the discipline and
organization Of the party which they
represent and to them at undoubtedly
appears that bad men are bound to
get into office in any party. They
always have done SO in all parties and
the political success Of many other
good men who are compelled to go to
sea in the same political party causes
them to lift republican success high
above any other consideration Party
leaders who have helped them In the
past demand this much for the good of
the party which means that the man
who has been helped by party leaders
owes it to them to help others within
the party. Men in office assume OBJ
legation toward one another which
the private citizen does not assume
and which seem to bend the judgment
of even the strongest Of public men.
However. the fact remains that DO
iiticai parties perform but one useful
function in our plan Of government.
They put up the candidates among
whom the voter must choose. If the
voter valves his right Of selection he
becomes servant OF a clique Of party
leaders. II he insists upon exercising
his right of selection he can compel
the leaders OF all parties to put up
worthy men. He should discipline the
republican party this year and serve
notice on it that unworthy men must
not be presented for the voters favor.
1t seems to be clear in the Cummins
letter that he would have preferred al
| most anybody else to have been nomi :
mated than Harding but he feels the
obligation Of party man to support
the nominee whoever he may be- Cum
Minis was far stronger when he took
the attitude that Taft was unworthy
Of party support and he now finds the
approval of his present position in a
full half page display in the Cedar
Rapids Republican. the one newspaper
which has fought and vilIified Mr..
Cummins during every campaign OF
his political career. Both Cummins
| and Kenyon in private undoubtedly
abhor the Harding nomination but
they are aiding him now and they will
reap their reward Of retribution when
Ben Salinger is firmly established in
supreme command Of the republican
/ party discipline in Iowa. This. is said
INV in- spirit nj prophecy