The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1919-11-27
Politics and Patriotism.

the Republican National Committee
IN his address to the Republican edl,
tors OF Illinois at Springfield Friday
nlght. 1t was a party address, de-
hVered by the head OF the party or
ganIzauon, but it was broader and
higher than any party; as broad, in
tact, as the whole sweep of America
and as high as the ideals that have
made America what II is. 1t was a
party address, yet if any Democrat
can read 1t without approval of its
general principles, then, We say,
there is something lacking in his
Amerloanlsm. For MIR, Hays made
very clear, impreSSively clear, the
tact We so often forget, that the sole
purpose of party is service, that it
is only a means to an end, not an end
IN itself, and that unless it justiheS
itself by its conduct and its deeds il
has failed in Its mission and is un-
worthy OF support. We are too prone
TO think that the measure of party
success is the election of party can
dldates, but that is only the peoples
commission. The thing that counts
comes atterward. Il say that sue
cessful political parV's objective, 4"
said Mr.. Hays, is record of faith
tul discharge Of a sacred contractual
obligation to the people. There is
but one kind of successful politics
and that is the politics of faithful,
efficient and honest administration.
The political party is an instru-
ment. But who makes the instrument
and with what material is it con-
structed? There is much easy con-
demnation of politicians" and of
practical politics. but who is to
blame if these men and these meth
ods are often not what they should
be? Mr.. Hays told a characteristic
story OF Roosevelt, who, when a very
young man, made ready to attend a
ward political meeting. Some of his
family objected, telling him he ought
not to mix with the class of people
he would meet there. They are the
governing class, said Roosevelt,
and you are not, because they will
and you won't" Dishonest politicians
and corrupt politics would not exist
If the people did not permit them to
exist. Il plead for a patriotism in
peace as well as in war" said Mr..
Hays. Let us have the patriotism
which moves men to make their
welfare their own business
and IN proSaic times of peace inter-
est themselves continually in the
practical politics of their community.
Good government is possible in no
other way. = Government func-
tlonS through individuals. These in
dlyiduals are elected through the
processes of practical politics, Sc
quence which cannot be avoided. We
can have better government only if
we interest ourselves in politics, in
the selection of those to whom this
is intrusted, in having
thought and voice in its operation,
and in making our countrys affairs
our own business" That, we say, is
not only practical politics, it is practi-
cal patriotism. Parties have no vir-
tue in themselves save as they draw
virtue from their adherents. Prin-
ciples are of no value unless they are
applied. There is nothing sacred in
a label. Nor can government be
operated by memories. A party is
an organization Of living people, not
1f dead ones, and we can only use the
past as stepping stone to the future. |
We may be rightly proud of its rec
ord and draw inspiration from its
achievements, but the problems of
today must be solved by the men of
today, even as the Americans of yes
terday solved their own problems in
their own time.
And these are times Of problems
greater than those with which our
fathers had to deal. "Of all times
IN our country's history" said Mr..
Hays, when the sense Of RESPONSE
ollity for the preservation Of our in
and the welfare Of our
people must weigh upon thinking cit
zens this is the supreme moment.
The problems which are ahead are
unreasonable in their completely and l
magnitude" How are they to be
solved ? And by whom ? These
are solemn questions for thinking
citizens and every citizen of the
United States Of America should be
thinking citizen, now of all times.
his is a representative republic, |
md it is through our representatives
'hosen by the process Of practical
politics" that the way to our future
must be cleared. Whom are we to
'hoose ? And how are we to make
,ure that they are worthy of the
rust ? Everything depends upon
light answers. They are political
questions, they are party questions, |
md only through party processes can
hey be answered. Politics is the ex-
'ression, the only expression, OF
citizenship, and citizenship is a re-
that should walk arm in