The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-10-04
THE VOTERS DUTY

Under the caption ''No Divided | Counsels at Washington" The Inde- pendent discusses at length the ques- tion confronting the voters in the ap- preaching Fall election. Arguing that 1t is the duty of Americans, re- gardless of previous political affilia- tion, to stand by the President and send to Congress men who will SUD- port him and his war policies, The Independent says:
 "The Republican party will not find 1t easy to convince the people that it would have done better had it been in power or that it would do better if it could be placed in power now. Yet more difficult would be the task of convincing a sober judgment that any thing would be gained by handing over to the Republican party that partial power which it is possible to transfer at the elections this fall, and which at the utmost would consist in Republican supremacy in Congress backed by Republican administrations in states electing governors and legis- latures.
 American experience of divided political responsibility has never been happy A Democratic President con- tending with a Republican Congress, or a Republican President contending with Democratic Congress, has nev- CT been, even in times of peace, an effective disposition of political forces Waste and inefjciency have usually resulted from it, and it is not possible to imagine thai a great war in it's critical stages could be- more effec- lively waged if energies and responsi- bilities should be so distributed
 "TWe yield to no one in profound
 respect for the wisdom and the pa triotism of men like Colonel Roose- welt, MT. Taft and MT. Root. But when they say that the voters of Ann
 erica ought this iall to return a Re publican Congress, and argue that the
 time has come to impose upon MT.
 Wilson's administration the fearless
 inquisition and the practical legisla- tive check of an opposition political
 majority, we are uneonvinced. 1rres- ponsible power Is indeed a serious 2 matter and no hurnan being is in-
 fallible. But Congressional minor
 ity is quite competent to ask questions '. to bring mistakes into the light o1
 publicity and to regsiter protests. Il
 is not necessary fEr tke preservation :. of our liberties to create the certain
 ty that @ Republican Congress would
 itself make lameneab1e and possibly
 well nigh fatal errsrs in it's desire tC
 play a decisive pars in the conduct O the war at a time and under circum stances when it coala not be, as the
 Democratic party As now, wholly re | sponsible for success or failure. II
 our judgment hard -headedness de ' mands that this responsibility should
 not be destroyed. It is, we think
 the plain dictate of common sens
 that the people shoa1d return Dem
 ocratic majority to Congress and as
 sure to President Wilson the suppor
 of a. Democratic laN-making power. ' "As for questions of domestic pol ] icy, they are important but not nov u imperative. This i5 not the time t open up the whola future policy 0 . the United States vyn the ownershi I and operation of railroads, telegraph: r telephones and expreas service, on tn !. tariff after the wats on labor 1egis 4 I.lation and on immigration. The wa o must be won first. This one thin f we do, is the motto of common sens n until the Hun is defeated"