The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-01-03
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1918.
Eliminating Political Parties.

nelQ III MlJWauhe0 laSG week db which
times the heads Of three political part
les agreed to bury the Ratchet and run
up the flag. 1t is hard to see any rea-
son for political divisions at the pres
emit time either in the nation, city or
state. The real big proniem before the
United States today is National unity
to win the war. 1t may be that at some
time or other there was reason for
TIE existence of political parties in
the ration. That it was necessary to
have party in power and party of
opposition and that the curb about the
party in power was an excellent thing
but the really great thing now is to
have loyal nation backing loyal
administration Of the affairs of the ma
tion. So far as we know loyalty never
had a party designation We are will
ling to admit that some party designa-
tions have been an open badge of dis
loyalty and if there is to be any poll
tical divisions in the nation or state
at this time they should split on the
question of loyalty rother than the
question Of politics.
The state Of Wisconsin has for years
beer cursed by political activity. This
activity for the most part has been
destructive and not constructive. In
stead of political activities for the bet
terment of the state and its people the
agitation has been largely for the adj
vancement Of one set of politicians
OF another. Both factions have manag-
ed to wax fat off the people of the
state in victory. Party politics have
been a joke so far. as Wisconsin is
concerned. The rise of the "Fair-
Minded Democrat" and the 'EBour-
bon" Republican has been rapid. The
members of what formerly was the old
parties have been so scrambled by the
support Of personal candidates and of
personal issues that it would be hard
for any one to put his hand on any
politician in the state and say "This
fellow is o Republican, without find
ing that at some time or other he had
slipped off and voted for Democrat
or on any Democrat without finding he
had dragged at the wheels of the VIC
Sorious chariot of some Republican
factiOnist. Party platforms in Wis
consin have been promises like pie
Gusts made to be broken. Men on
both of the old party tickets have de-
clared openly that they did not sup
port the platform of their party. Wis
consin hac been distinctively gov
eminent for the politicians.
The movement innaugurated at Mil
waukee offers relief. 1t offers a relief
thao should meet with the support of
all patriots. 1t offers chance for
people who believe in the state and the
nstion being governments of the peo-
pie to say GA plague on all your
houses" 1t offers charcc for a new
deal and a square deal in which the
people will have chance. We have
studied carefully the political history
OF Wisconsin. We have sought to find
q difference between Democratic and
Republican administratit ms and so far
as we can discover the only difference
has been in the distribution of the same
old taxes assessed against the people
Petty mole-hills of state policies have
been repeatedly made intc mountains
by bombastic political oratory, flowing
f~cm the mouths of men who have
made a financial profit out of strife
and discord but out of it all Wisconsin
has not progressed any more rapidly
than the rest of the states. Party poll
tics has been responsible for the crea-
lion of hundreds of jobs, of no value to
the people, and the only value which
can be placed on them IS that they Of
fer chance for the pay-1.ent of poll
teal debts
At normal times it is hard TO justify
party politics in state. Certainly
t, ere can be no justification for them
at a time when the nation is at war
and when a nation demands that all of
its energies be conserved. The chronic
politician is not going to submit to fus-
Sill WAluOub uSut. he mas De6u sup
ported by the state for so long time
that it has come to be his "vested;'
right and he is going to fight to the
last ditch to keep his hands on the pub
lie funds. Proper state government,
administered for the people and not for
the politicians would undoubtedly re-
lease for productive -sbor /. lot of men
lLo are now mostly concerned with
public waste. The opportunity is of
fered to the people to root out these
nests of parasites.
There must be patriotic men in Wis
consin-both Democrats and Repubh-
cans-who would be willing to give to
the state honest service for honest pay
and who would be able to attend to all
the business of the state at a cost far
below what is now being paid. The
political futures of few men are no
thing as compared with the future of
the nation The times are changing -