Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-09-02
A CURIOUS REVERSAL

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the two great political parties of this country In relation
to principles which have been considered fundamental
Traditionally the Republican party Is the party which has
favored . strong federal government, ana the Democratic
party has favored the widest possible diffusion Of govern.
mental powers among the states, and the widest possible
degree Of liberty to the Individual. That line Of cleavage
was established while the constitution was framed. II
persisted in acute form during the early years Of the re-
public. It was on this issue that the parties divided at
the time Of the Civil war. Since the war the Democratic
party has resisted. with reasonable consistency. ell forms
of legislation which pointed to what the leaders of that
party asserted would be the destruction Of state sover-
eighty.
Growing out of the attitude Of the Republican party
on the relations between the states and the nation were
the policies of that party w~hichnwere characterized as
imperial and miltAristc BY their opponents. when the
disposition OF the Philippines was under consideration the
Republicans justified the assumption Of control over these
islands on the ground that the course proposed was mere
ly the performance OF a duty which America owed to CT:
:ii.stou. while the Democrats denounced it as the ca
precision Ut q tendency toward Imperialism wholly incon-
ststent with the spirit OF democracy. On practically every
question involving the proposal that the United States un-
dertAke to play = more important part in the affairs Of
the world that policy has been supported by Republicans
on the ground that the policy OF isolation was impossible
because OF changed ana changing conditions, and that it
was inconsistent with the interests. the duties and the
dignity Of a great nation as well as detrimental to the
highest interests Of the world. Democrats. in supporting
their opposition on these policies. have made a shibboleta
of wasbingten's injunction asaanst ~ensansline alliances,
and have habitualy placed the narrowest possible con-
struction on 1t.
With>the discussion Of war settlements has come a
strange reversal Of attitude. Democrats advocate Ameri-
can participation in the League Of Nations on almost pre-
cisely the grounds upon which their former objections to
the expansion of American Influence h aeaa. uhta
Republican leaders view with alarm American entrance
into world affairs on almost precisely the same consider
atoms which have in the past been urged by their oppo-
nents in supporting the doctrine OF q Little America. Ap-
parenty the Democrats have become impertalists and ex-
pansionists, while the Republicans, 50 far az their senti-
ments arc expressed by some Of their most prominent men
in the senate. have become the party of restriction and
isolation.
Such a remarkable change Of front as has been OBJ
served on the part OF 90 many prominent party leaders
can scarcely be accounted for on the basis of q real change
Of sentiment on basic principles. Nor is there to be found
= reasonable explanation in the merits of this particular
issue. If either or both OF these things had governed en-
urely the Democrats would not have reversed their DO
sttion almost unanimously nor would 90 remarkable a
change have been experienced all at once by 80 many of
the Republican leaders.
After making every possible allowance for change of
sentiment on the general policy of expansion or restric-
ton. and for the appeal which this particular subject
makes on its own merits to the individual, there remains
still much that can be accounted for only on the ground
of party opportunisrn. We must conclude that q good
many Democrats are supporting the League of Nations
chiefly because they believe the prestige of their party to
be involved In it. And it is equally apparent that q good
many Republicans are opposing it quite largely because
they fear that the acceptance of the League plan prac-
ticauy unchanged will be Of advantage to the Democrats
in tho elections next year.