The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-03-10
NOT P~ARTISANsHIP,
But GOOD GOVERNMENT

u OF congress, tnat h"epuDllcanS
will not do anything for partisan pur-
poses to embarrass the President dur
ing the differences with foreign coun-
tries. is absolutely true; but no more
true now than il has been 1t all times
since Wilson has been President.
Neither now nor at any other time
have Republicans pursued any course
for mere partisan advantage.
However, Republicans have said
and done many things that have been
embarrassing to the President, and
they will probably do so in the future.
Their course in this respect has not
been prompted by a desire to promote
party advantage. but by a desire 10
promote the best interests of the
country. We advocate certain things,
not because they are for party advan-
tage, but because we believe the well
fare OF the United States requires the
advocacy of the policies we support.
We have criticized many things the
Democratic party has done, not mere
ly because they were done by the
Democratic party. but because they
were done against the interests of
good government.
We have advocated a protective tar
if and denounced free trade, not for
partisan advantage, but for the bene-
fit of all the people of the United
States.
We embarrassed the President by
exposing his violation of his pledge
to support the merit system in the
civil service. That exposure was
prompted not by partisan interest,
but by a desire to conserve efficiency
in government service.
We have exposed and criticized the
appointment of totally incompetent
men in the consular and diplomatic
service, and have criticized such acts
as the attempted promotion of the
Presidents personal physician over
the heads of ia superior officers who
are more entitled to consideration
than be. And all this has been done,
not for mere partisan advantage, but
for the purpose of attaining and main
tanning higher standards in public
service.
Undoubtedly. Republicans caused
great embarrassment to President
Wilson by insisting upon the leak" in
vestigation, which disclosed the fact
that certain spectators obtained ad-
vance information regarding the char
acter of the Presidents Ieace note
through the brokerage firm which the
Presidents brother-in-law was then a
member OF. We are sorry that this
was embarrassing to the President,
and that it occurred at a time when
our diplomatic relations with other
countries are strained; but we be-
lieye 1t would be disastrous 10 the
of good government if such
things were to be CLOSED over or dis
regarded just because we have for
eign complications.
A multitude of other subjects that
been discussed in the past
and that probably will be discussed
Ia the future-might be enumerated,
showing that although many things
have been embarrassing to the Presi-
because discreditable to his adj
.inistration, yet they have been sub
Iects upon which patriotic American
could not be silent without
derelict in their duty.
Those persons who grow profuse in !
-helr protestations that all Republic
ms will be loyal to the President"
ire not judicious in their choice of
words. The loyalty of both Repub-
leans and Democrats is to the gov :
'rnment of the United States and its
We owe no greater OBJ
igation of loyalty than does the !
President himself. The President is {
he servant and not the master of
he American people. and all loyal
'itizens will aid him in rendering the
'est service possible. We shall not.
However. transform him into a dicta-
or and ourselves into subjects. mere
y because one of his tasks is that of
with foreign relations.