Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1920-03-24

time that they pave the way for
future reactionary measures by am
biguous statements where the true
meaning is hidden by skillfully word
ed passages that read and sound well.
Witness the plank aimed at the d.
rect primary at the district Republi-
can convention at Willmar.
Very calculating on the present
status of the two large political par
ties is a speech made January 6 last
by the National chairman Of the Re-
publican party, Will H. Hays at Chi
cago. Bill was in a dilemma. He
was expected to tell the women as
sembled at banquet staged to cele-
brate at banquetthe shrdlu vbgkqj
brate their entry into politics what
the Republican Party stands for.
You see, the national convention has
not yet been held, and how was Bill
ii know what specific things the party
would stand for No doubt many
suffragettes at this banquet had some
pretty strong opinions as to what
they wanted, and it would not be
policy to even hint at what the big
party bosses have in mind in the way
of militarism, suppression of free
speech, reduction of income taxes on
the big taxpayers and abolition Of
surtaX.
But Bill was equal to the occasion.
Here is a part Of what he said. 1t
caught our delighted eye on the first
page of the Minneapolis Tribune.
Chairman Hays said in part:
ITO women and men alike the party
offers the right Of a political self-de-
| termination. and this is the answer to
| the query, What does the party stand
! is and must be full political self-deter-
| mination. 1t is entirely up to the party
| membership to say what the party's
| purpose shall be. what it's policies
| shall become. This fundamentally, is
what we oxer the women-the chance
to express themselves.
Party progress must always be
| subject to amendment and change by
the responsible living thought, ex-
pressed within the party by men and
women alike Through it all, however
| must run the supreme motive, and ir
the Republican party that supreme mo.
tive is and always shall be the honest
patriotic Intelligent effort to promote
and safeguard the best interests of the
| republic and it's citizens
There must be in this country two
political parties and both must b,
! strong and virile. 1 do not ask tina
all women become Republicans tt
which party you belong is of less con
sequence than that you belong to some
| party, that you seek the truth, find it
and then act, and act continually.
would rather woman join with ou
| opponents than belong to no party"
| So you see, kind reader, that whe1
the Non-partisan League farmers ant
working-men of Minnesota, instead
Of organizing a new party, decide tt
nominate their candidates on the Re
publican ticket, and write their de
mands into the state platform of thu
old party for which most of then
havt voted in times past, they will
be doing exactly what they are in
vited to do by the National chairman
There is no question that if tn,
voters wiO are orfianized and thei
sympathizers will only stick they will
dominate the Republican party O.
Minneota, and the joke will then b.
on the Politician who in their cal
Of the laat Republican primaries hav.
virtually pledged every participant
under oath to support the ticket nom
mated in June, whoever the candj
dates may be.
This complication will hasten tn
day, we hope, when party names will
cease to confuse people on the ballot
and the way will thus be cleared fu
true party action.