Arizona republican., 1920-02-09
A good word is an easy obligation; but not to speak i'll requires only our silence, which costs us nothing. -TillOtSOn.
The Platform Contest

The Republican National Platform contest for which The Arizona Republican has been made the vehicle by a public spirited citizen who has offered prizes aggregating s1o0O drafts of platform ought to, and believe will, stimulate a study public affairs by young men and women whose interest in has been only cursory
 It will certainly lead to a study of the platforms the past less matter they contain than for the form of them but of them there will be gained much information that would otherwise be missed Thus the becomes of the incidents in the Americanization campaign. It is not enough that should been born in this country, that he should been naturaIized that he should revere its institutions and its flag, that he should be proud its history. To be the best kind of American, should be well informed of his and should feel that he is of it-a work ing
 The same end that is desired to be reached by this contest could be we'll attained through test determine the best three drafts of national democratic platform. But the gentleman who has made this possible happens to be republican. The preparation of a model democratic platform would involve the careful study research that the construction of republican platform would require, nd effect promoting good the best, citizenship of those who might take part in it.
 National platforms usually consist of the reitera- ton certain principles, generally of the enunciaton of party policies. It is not easy to describe the difference between some principles and some policies, for of the latter have become traditional that they come to regarded as principles.
 Policies. though, change constantly changing conditions. Party leaders and platform writers must be alert these changes they must also be so we'll balanced imagine that changes have taken place when they have Those who fail this alertness hand, or lack This balance the other belong the bourbons who never forget and who learn; and rtAe second to crazy dreamers who mistake policies, who distinguish between cause and effect.
 result of such has been proposed would tend. believe reduce the number the bourbons and the crazy dreamers, would increase the of thinking and level-h headed as well patriotic citizens.
 We cannot say that all the policies ever enun- ciated in political party platform good, that all of those declared party platform were bad. A model platform would, perhaps have been different from either; there would a from one to the other regardless traditional character of them.
 There progress at this time a national platform contest, under the auspices national republican committee, at the suggestion of another public spirited citizen We do whether the winning platforms will n any way influence the making of the national platform at Chicago. Prob ably not But they will many citizens to thinking and they cannot fail a mighty influence in the future.
 to those who will take part in the contest three only will monetary prizes but the money they will receive will be of small value in comparison with the value to them the study in which they will engage. and that will be a which will be equally distributed all contestants whether prize-wnners not.