The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-12
Editor Missoulian.

Editor Missoulian.
Sir. As one Of the radical young
friends referred to in this mornings
editorial, 1.-THE Foreum." offer these
few remarks for the consideration Of
Muscular readers.
The editor declares that we are
losing sight Of the true purposes of an
open forum, and that we are forgetting
our earlier promises. At the first
meeting of the Mssoula Forum made
this promise: "'This Forum will back
no propaganda of any kind, nor will it
endorse any resolutions" Where have
We violated this pledge? To back"
means to support" or Endorse" The
Forum certainly does not support or
indorse the Non Partisan league by
giving a representative Of that league
an opportunity to talk. am not a
member of the league and, so for as
know. no member OF our executive
committee is aligned with it. The
speaker 1t was understood. was not to
plead for members or subscriptions. He
was to devote himself entirely to
presentation OF the principles and pur-
poses of his organization. At the close
of his forty minute talk the question
would have been thrown open, as usu-
al, to the audience for another forty
minutes. No resolution Of any kind
would have been permitted, even II
the adherents Of the league had been
H. the majority. Can you rightly say,
| then, that we are backing the league
simply because we gave one of their
speakers an opportunity to run this
forensic gauntlet?
True. the Non Partisan league is n
political party. But we have offered
| representatives of other parties a
place on our program. Members of
both the old parties have been asked
to speak Of the present and future
! status of their organizations; but they
have refused. In view Of the fact that
| n forum audience always has an ample
| opportunity to assail the speaker.
where Is the danger Of permitting
representatives of political parties to
speak. Our most important questions
as rule are raised by political or
ganizatlons. These issues are dis
eussed OH the editorial page, from the
pulpit, in the home, and on the street.
Are they to be barred from the Public
Forum, the very purpose of which Is
to promote interest in public questions?
TX they are to DO barred. then GER
tainly our Open Forum can be no more
than half open.
| The editor of The Muscular takes
i up much OF his readers time berating
/ the Non Partisan league. It hardly
looks fair that he should begrudge the
Forum its right to discuss the league
for an hour and a half The weak
points of that organization, il there
arc any. would have been barred in the
course of the discussion as effectually,
perhaps. as the editor bares them in
his editorials. II the one hundred and
fifty thousand members Of the league
had been outlawed. il its leaders and
propaganda had been officially de-
nounced by the government. then we
would not be justified In listening to
one of it's representatives. But such
Is not the case. Mr.. Editor. you may
be right in your dcnunciation of the
league; but there are many people in
Missoula who would be pleased to
hear and take part in a two sided dis
cussion OF that organization. And l
fail to see why the Open Forum Is not
the proper place for such a discussion.
PAYNE TEMPLETON.