The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-02-22


If measure OF this nature can be
forced on the country through fear
because OF existing partisan dlVl-
sions preventing men who think
alike from voting as a unit then
the forces that triumph must them
selves prepare for a repetition OF
the thing in various forms. Thus
does government without the an
chorage and restraints of established
and inviolate constitutional forms
degenerate into chaos.
Nor do me Plumbites purpose
hazarding their scheme by offering
II on it's merits as a political move
ment. No party is to be formed
to urge its adoption. Instead the
league is to play the role of political
guriella and seek to attain a ma
candidate here, cajoling one there
and frightening the great parties
into friendly neutrality as a whole.
To Subycrt the Republic.
The purpose is to make of this re-
public, which has already been
government by law, a government by
class for class regardless of law.
Nor Is the Plumb plan an imagined
| danger. There is going on at the
moment an effort to bring into the
| league all OF uhe organized elements
| of industry, including the farmers.
| There Is considerable reason for be-
/ licving that the American Fedora
! ton of Labor will be found either
openly or secretly favoring the prop
ositlon, WHICH is likely to be ampli-
! fled until 1t does In fact establish
a solidarity OF interest between all
! the various unionized factions.
! Under sudh circumstances. and in
bearing In mind the determination
not to permit the matter to go be-
| fore the people as the paramount
issue of an easily recognized politi-
cal party, the dangers can be readily
seen. 1t stands as "a threat not alone
against the individual right to accu-
mulate property and he protected
| in its possession. but threat against
7 the very form of constitutional gov
eminent
/ kindred movement that has al
ready cast It's shadow over a por-
tion of the republic is the nonpar-
tisan league of the northwest. How
| this organization works has been
seen in Dakota, where 1t captured
| outright the republican organization
and has been riding under whip and
spur.
At the present time II Is bending
every effort to capture the republi-
can organization in Minnesota. In
the last campaign similar attempt
was defeated because of the popu-
larity of the republican nominee for
governor, Burnqulst, and the action
of some $4,000 democrats who left
their party to aid in defeating the
lnonpartisan leaguers.
This year the same tactics are be-
ing pursued but with better pros
poets of success. There are four or
five republican candidates for the
gubernatorial nomination, some of
whom are openly flirting with the
leaguers. In such circumstance the
radicals are in a fair way to sue
ceed, for they have Z drawn into
their plan the union votes of the
two great Minnesota cities. amount
ing in the aggregate to something
like 10000.
II the field of candidates contin-
4 ues to the primary but one thing
can prevent the radicals from secur-
Ing control OF the state. That will
be the patriotic determine ton of the
democrats to abandon their own or
ganization and join with the repub-
Leans in the primary. And failing
mere, for the constitutional republi-
cans to vote the democratic ticket
in the fall election.
And that is the plan,
shutting Partisan Affiliations
\ newspaper correspondent was
In Minneapolis the other day for the
purpose of getting "a lineup on the
political situation. He was discus
, sing matters with two prominent
citizens and politicians one a demo
crat and the other republican.
But / may be a democrat this
fall,' the republican said.
And J, , the democrat said may
be a republican"
II is coming. The logic of events
or the evolution Of history--cau il
what you MAYS forcing it.
And why not?
II is easy to explain why you were
democrat or n republican in the
campaigns of the past. The issues
were fundamental and clear cut
The two major political organiza
tions were arrayed on the issues of
the day. For years the tariff issue
was cleavage between the two. The
democrats stood for free trade with
the world, while the republicans
stood unalterably for the trade-at-
home idea and the building up OF
American industry
To only a very limited extent do
the old divisions exist on this issue.
The arch free trader and interna-
tionalist has but recently In a mes
sage advocated the principles OF pro-
lection IN part at least. And the old
south has always found its stern,
unyielding economic necessities call
ing for an application OF the protec-
i've theory. Democratic senators
ana representatives have yielded Sc
cret allegiance TO the republican
tariff measures.
The soundness of the theory that
Americans are to have first and par-
amount rights in the American mar
ket Is no longer disputed anywhere.
Wherein, then, do democrats and
Republicans differ? THE demo-
: Gratis stand for wisconsin and inter
nauonallsm, and | am against all
that" replies one.
But do they? That remains to
be seen, Most everybody knows
hundreds OF democrats who do rot