The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-11-01

actual characters of flesh and blood
who like ourselves have many faults
and frailties. In the present cam
paign few of us are able to say of any
party or of any set of candidates that
we are entirely satisfied. One party
suits US, perhaps, on some issues
while we are violently opposed to it
on others. The same is true of the
individual candidates we follow them
in some things, in other things we do
not desire their leadership. The
question of how to vote then becomes
a question of how far and in what
direction to compromise ones own
preferences in order to join hands
with a considerable body of ones fell
lows In democracy the very foun-
dation of government is that no one
can have his own way. Democracy
is the resultant of many minds work
ing by adjustment and compromise
and finally yielding to the will of the
majority. To insist on ones own
personal satisfaction leads nowhere.
We must choose instead the path of
greater usefulness which hes in
co-olition with other men of other
minds and sometimes vote for men
and measures not at all of our selec-
ton.
The present political situation is
far form IDEAL The fine idealism of
our nation in war days has passed
away and again we hear the ancient
hammers of discord changing upon
anvils of envy and greed. We said
we would never again build peace
upon armaments and fleets, the pow
er to conquer and the strength to
hold But our vows are broken and
we have taken up the weapons of po-
litical partisanship and turned again
to the fleshpots of our unregenerated
hearts. When our nation had fairly
begun to vision an era of good fee
ing, our regular four year spasm of
partisan prejudice overwhelmed us
and the fine idealism with which we
contended in the world war for the
liberties of humanity went to smash.
We have hopes that it may be re-
trieved again when the confusion and
excitement of campaigning subsidies.
Issues involving the destiny of our
nation, domestic and foreign, are be-
clouded with vehement words, ambig-
uous arguments, and rash invectives.
The fact of the matter is that neither
of the dominant political parties is
definitely for or against any i'm
portant political measure Ex-Justice
Hughes has correctly stated the case
in his book entitled Conditions of
Progress in Democratic Govern
ment." Upon most of the great
questions of the day he says it may
fairly be opposed that were opinions
freely expressed, the line of division
would run across the great parties
and not between them.
If the people, in their own interest, |
without being influenced by the |
special interests of the parties, freely |
voted their convictions, politics would |
nave a vastly different aspect in this
and of ours Abraham Lincoln said: !
Stand with anybody that stands |
right; stand with him while he is |
right and depart from him when he
goes wrong" No plea of party ex-
oediency should influence Christian
20 give his vote for candidate that /
S corrupt or in any wise subject to /
corrupt influence. To support can
lidate who is the tool of any class, /
your own class or another, the far :
ners, Wall street, labor unions, brew
sry interests, the military arfstoc-
'acy, or any other specialized groups,
S a violation of the fundamental
principles of democratic government
md an immoral use of his office?
md an immoral use. Any candidate
Who makes his office the privilege of
franchise to class interests and class
is unworthy of the office
which he seeks. A public office is
'ublic trust and he who fills it worth
ly must be the servant of all the
'eople and not the minister of or
atronage to the few.
/ hesitate to speak of campaign is
ues, yet there are some moral in
erests involved, concerning which it J
7ould be violation of my ordination
vows to remain silent. Many earn
st temperance people are perplexed
yer the present political situation.
We realize that the temperance battle
not yet won, however much politi-
ians may argue that it is. Both the
,ading parties have consistently en-
Favored to side step the whole ques- y
on Neither presidential candidate :.
endorsed by the temperance forces. {
he anti-saloon league has tried to
ct clear cut expression from both
andidates on the issue but both have
vaded it. The public record of both 4
len is unsatisfactory from the stand =
CONTINUED on page six.) {