The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-10-23
DrsArpEARiNG rREJupIcrs.

Experiences Of the past fcw yo. "a here ln
America have accomplished much toward disc
pelllng proJudces Of various kinds, Take for
instance, the prejudice mat has long existed
toward party government For yoap our
acadcmicians have pralcd voluby concerning
tho evils OF tho party system and the inlquiuos
OF rartnan enthusiasm. During the period 1f
undertaking journalism whom any fluent wr.tor
could secure an audience by merely painting
tho sins Of mankind, partylam was held up ne
tho cause Of every political cvil In America And
nany there were who embraced tho half truth
ns a wnoio truth and onged for the day when
political parties might be dispensed with. From
euch thoughts sprang tho idea ot civil service ..
another instance whore tho remedy proved to bo
moro menacing than tho inaady.
Now constructive thought 10 turning TO the
party system Of government with it, discipline
and responsibility as the way sheet anchor Of
constitutional government. Inevitably. We think.
public opinion will grow stronger and stronger
against tho Idea Of civil service and civil service
reform. Because II has already proven i's"lf
TO he a handicap 10 efficiency In governmental
affairs and has resulted In raising up the worst
class in the world--or we should have said In a
republican office holding class,
Tho Journal Of Commerce recently venturcd
tho following observations on this subject
when party government fails In this
public and n succeeded by the control ot
allied groups having selfish interests rather
than general welfare In vi"w, then viii
division of the country into hostile groups,
and the disintogratiun of Patriotism.
The distance we have Travelled In this
direction may bo estimated by survey Of
conditions at tho beginning of tho and
at present We heard OF mon pointing to
tho flag over their factories and spurnrg
It's symbolism. We heard from one pulpit
declaration that its occupant cared not
what flag flew over the capitol at Wash
ingtou. Later We saw the tremendous Cf-
fort made TO merge our national indoIend-
enco into a world government and
Ia place our rcsourses--military, naval and
nrancial--at the disposition Of a fOrcigu
council, That wns powerful " sonti-
mental assault on our uationalism, Now
at the seat Of our government va
rious groups OF Legislators banded together
for class purposes--to Promote exclusively
tho interests of farmers, OF manufacturers.
OF hborers OF financicrs, OF cotton plant
err or Of other special interests.
"Of all these the combination Of bankers
Is least dangerous because financial sta
bilhy depends upon general prosperity
rather than that ut any up1Cisi group. But
u Ia time TO wake up to the signs of the
times"
No thinking man will demur 10 a single
thought In that quotation. II Is true in every
resLect. In precise ratio TO the decline in party
enthusiasm has appeared tho alternative symp-
toms, class and group activity. Each inde-
fenslbly selfish and each tremendously menac-
ing 10 the motive OF the federal constitution.
Patriotism has dislntegrated Men are think
ing and acting not American citizens Jealous
OF their rights and obligations under the funda-
mental law, but as members OF various artifi-
cial classlricatlous limited 80 far as mere num-
hers are concerned but absolutely unlimited In
their ambition to force government to serve
their own selfish little cabaL
This tendency has become 80 marked that
thoughtful minds have set about finding the
cause ami discovering the remedy The result
government Is not only the greatest safeguard
against class government or mob rule, but is
the only safeguard. And from such reasoning
has emerged another generally recognized truth
tho only two constitutional organizations in
America at this time the republican and
the democratic party. All others. II the various
religious organizations can prove themselves
an exception. are moro or less snbvorsive Of
the provisions and spirit Of the constitution.
Party government, oven with it's worst evils.
liz the sheet anchor Of consttutlonasm. And
! II one must admit that much, then one cannot
escape the logical ultimate, that party govern
| ment must have complete and undisputed
| troll which means that civil service Is a doe
triuc that has no place in representative sys-
/ tenn OF government, The greatest law givera
| and political economists the world has pro-
| duccd have agreed on that point An office
! holding class Ia the greatest danger a republic
can have,
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