The Washington herald., 1920-05-09

which the party
IL to stand.
II any candidate secures q DOM
mating following before the con-
vention meets. that candidate. of
course. will dictate the platform
unless he is the candidate of some
powerful group. in which case the
group will dictate the platform for
him.
The platform is more important
than the man. and Il is dissppoint-
ing. in q chaotic time like this.
that q party like the Republican
party. which Is in control Of Con-
gress. and apparently confident of
success in the coming election. does
not put principle first and men
Afterwards.
When a party takes up the
ernment il turns naturally and
ment. and policies are merely sur
face Manifestations Of underlying
principles. Principles ought to con
troll; policies ought to decide cleo
tions.
Moral Courage Needed.
II Is easy enough to md men
with the intelligence necessary 10
carry out the policies to which a
party is pledged. and IL ought not
TO be difhcult to find men with the
moral courage to announce in ad-
vance the principles which they
regaT as fundamental and the
polIcieA which should be pursued
at the time-that is. the policies
which embody the principles be-
lieved in.
IL is easier TO understand a prin-
ciple than a man: easier to form an
opinion in regard to a policy than
in regard TO an individual. First
Reasonable people follow reasons
and understand reasons, and a prin-
lciple is simply a reason upon which
policies are built. Second-Prin-
lciples do not change after the cleo
ton; men sometimes do.
A mans political program may
be the embodiment OF many poll
cies. differing in their relative in
fuence' upon him. and subject to
change. Circumstances may induce
him to surrender one policy In the
hope of securing another which he
considers more important. And. in
nuences may operate upon him. sf-
ter the election to make him change
his point of view. The popular
election of Senators by the people
became necessary because SO many
legislators either suppressed their
purposes during the campaign or
changed their purpose ofterwsrd. to
the disappointment-no to say be-
trayal-of their constituents.
Personality q Mystery.
So with Presidential candidates,
IL a man runs upon his personal
fly. that personality must be more
or less of a mystery to the multi
tude. One voter may like him for
one thing. another voter may be
Influenced by an entirely different
sentence in a speech or by what ne
is believed TO stand for. II there is
no definite program to which he Is
pledged, many of the voters are
likely to be disappointed. For this
reason ! made the following sug-
gestion in a speech before the Con-
stitutionsl convention Of Nebraska
last January:
Candidates Tor OnCcS IN WHICH
they can influence public policies
should be compelled to file a state
ment of their position on issues be-
fore the public and to answer writ
ten inquiries Cfiled with designated
officialsD. or give written refusal
with reasons. Statements on public
issues should be regarded as a con-
tract between the candidate and his
constituents. and violations should
be defined as embezzlement OF pow
er and punished with Imprisonment
The Republican party will have
TO deal with certain great questions,
and il would seem important for the
voters to align themselves accord
ing to the program to be carried
out rather thar make their support
depend entirely on their attach
ment to individuals. venture 10
suggest a few questions on which
the public should be enlightened:
First-It may be taken for grant
ed that with thirty-iive States rati-