The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-20

A powerful editorial In the New York World of Jan. 23. 1919, on the Bankruptcy of Congress, concluded as follows:
 The disconcerting fact for the present is that the American people, confronted with the mos complicated governmental problems ever known, have no Congress that is capable of dealing with them, and no prospect of such 6 Congress. The country is leg islatively bankrupt"
 The breakdown in Congress which has resulted in its defaulting in it's obligations to the American people, for broad preparedness against war, and in meeting the greater problems of restoration of business and indus try to normal channels, Is due to the fact that the political parties have ceased to represent any definite creed or body of principles. Well balnCed party government is an essential part of our political organization. It Is through party government that the best results have been obtained for the upbuiIding of our institutions. A
 failure of party government results
 n responsibility, with uncertainty, confusion and unsound legislation. Today we are in 6 condition Of ab- soIute fux as to the political pur- , poses of both the Republican and 1 Dem Ocrattc parties. So much so that with high tariff Democrats and high 1 tariff Republicans, advocates and op- ponents of centraltzaton of Federal control, government ownership, uui- versai training, in both parties, as ] represented in Congress, it is impossi- bIs to determine what either party stands for. With this condition among our Congressman and Sena- tors, it is apparent that the confusion
 of the averag ge citizens is worse con- founded, and that the magic of a name will no longer control them.
 It is only through patty govern
 ment that these evils can be reme- died, and the foundation Of all the
 national preparedness to meet the great questions which our democracy
 has to deal with in order to reach
 and maintain it's fullest destiny, is party reconstruct By great par
 ties we have built in the past and
 through parties alive to national needs we must construct for the flu ture.
 Long before the war, a spirit of rebellion against the professional politician was manifest. It was indi-
 cated by splendid local citizenship
 movements in various centers and an increase in independent voting. The
 demand for political freedom led to
 improved form of ballot in many states while distrust of the politician
 placed upon the statute books the
 direct primary law and the provision
 init and Tn fact these latter measures were In tended as a safety device against leg tslative and executive tncompetency.
 Reconstruction of political parties
 require reorganization on the basis Of
 the fundamental creed of the party
 members. No political party can hC-e to merit the unquestioned trust of the people that is not willing to adjust it's principles to the views of
 it's own personnel. stand-pat politi- oians of the type who have hereto fore framed political platforms to run on, under the guidance of a motto such as Party safety first" can no longer expect to have the con- ddence of the people.
 Two Parties Needed.
 America today needs two political parties representing the conviction of | their members as to principles, and prepared to enact with absolute good | faith, party declarations framed with | the concurrence of the general body l of the party. A hand picked com | mittee on resolutions cannot perform l this function nor Is the existence of such bodies compatible with our ] scheme of representative government. It. | The continuance of such bodies will rfa1r d credited with the thinking citizen and