The Alaska daily empire., 1920-01-08
AS TO POLITICAL PARTIES AND %. PARTlSANSHIP 4 ta

One of the greatest English writers on econo mics once wrote that4every male child in England was born either Whig or a Tory He mlght nave gone further and said that when the child grew to manhood his conception of the first duty Of citl- zenship was to win victories at the polls TOT the political party into which he was born
 The same thing could have been said once upon a time with almost or quite as much truth or every male American child He was born either Demo crat or Republican, and when he reached the es- tate of manhood his political belief was that part! victory was an end in itself
 People have been growing away from that con- dition and conception of things for a good many years With the disappearance of sectional differ encest or differences as to the fundamental princ ples of government people began to see that sooo government and constructive progression is the prop CT end of civic activities There are no longer mon archists in this country. There no longer adyo cates of property qualifications for electors There are no longer advocates of life tenure for Pres dents Governors and Senators to be selected by restricted portion of the population. There are nc loiger advocatees or apologists for human slavery There are no longer secessionists. The fundamen tals of government in the United States have beeI settled Therefore the average voter is coming mort and to be forward-ooking advocate or gooo government and constructive progression, and t' cast his vote and influence as he thinks will serve those ends regardless of victory defeat of any particular political organization Good citizens arc becoming and more interested in what all poll tical parties and civic organizations do. They have ceased to- want any political party or civic organ zation to make mistake. Long ago the wish o the members of one political party that the other party would muddle things when in possession o the government ceased to be habit. Good citizens desire success in government matter what the personnel of the public service might be or the party with which it is affiliated.
 great many of the people of the United Statei perhaps maiority-are affiliated more or less closely-more and less time progresses with the other of the two great political or ganizatons just most Christians are affiliated with or the other of the many Christian church es. But vast majority of the people are not fight ing the other political party because it is the other party iJust the great majority of Methodists o Presbyterians Catholics Episcopalians or Bap lists or members of any of the other Christian de nominations wish to all the others, so thu vast majority of Democrats wish success to Repub licans in their efforts to give good government ant bring about progress, and the great majority of Re pubcans wish to the Democrats in their eff forts toward the same end
 This is the position of The Empire. It is not and never has been party organ. It is ant has been affiliated with a political party 1T the that newspapers belonged" to this part, that few decades ago
 Right here is good place to say that we dt not wish to be misunderstood to be accused O sailing under false colors. The editor of The Elm pire and It's principal owner born into thu
 
 that political organization. His ancestry supported Jefferson. Madison and Monroe--as most Virgnian did in that day-rather than Adams Jay and Ham fltAn3 they supported Jackson, Benton, Cass ant Douglas rather than Webster Clay the Junior Ad and Seward (Some of them supported Calhoun enda Crawford and Breckinrdge), some of then were for the North and for the South in th Civil War. and after the they all for Bay ard and Thurman and Lamar rather than Stevens and Blaine and sherman. He his first vote fol Cleveland and his last. for Wilson. Yet he neve took stock in David B. Hill's slogan 'I Demo crat.s He has always favored democracy more thai Democracy
 The position of The Empire and its editor is an, always has been that may be a good citizeI and serve the cause of good government Demo crat or a Republican independently of both par ties
 The Empires interest. it frequently has said is in good government. progressive and constructive development and Alaskas welfare rather than thu success of political party The Empire is, there fore, 1t frequently has said greatly interested in seeing the Republican Party of Alaska represen tatiye of the best there is in the Territory it in sseefng that the Democratic Party is organize, forsthe good of the Territory. is not at all con cerned the political affiliations of those in h public seryice-po more than II is concerned al to the political afiliation of those who help to mak