The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-01-31

is the rule of the majority, and only
through political party representing
the majority or as near the majority
as that may be possible can you Sc
cure an expression of the will of the
people, and, therefore, it is that under
our system of government the two
party system is essential. Ours would
not work if we had, as is the case on
the continent of Europe, a number of
political parties more nearly balanced,
because then you would have the rule
of the minorities, or log-rolling for the
accomplishment of selfish purposes,
regardless of principle.
Now, of course. there have grown
up in this country number of parties
other than the two great parties. and
so it might happen that one of the
great parties, successful at an election,
might not necessarily represent a
majority, and it has happened that a
minority vote has elected Il president.
But all we can get in this world is an
approximation, and so l start with the
premise that the twoparty system, or
as near it as we can come to it, is es-
sential for the proper workings of our
institutions.
Must Work in Political Party.
"My next proposition is that, if you
have the Influence you ought to have
| and l want to pause, here long
enough to say that I have the greatest,
the highest respect for the ability, the
patriotism and the capacity for public
service of the high-minded women in
! this league of yours, and l say to you
| if you are to exert the influence that
your ability and your standing in the
community entities you to exercise,
you must do it through the medium of
/ political party.
/ I'VE have had third parties. The
| Prohibition party has endured for
many years. and I undertake to say,
although l know there may be diff
ference of view upon this subject, that
The Prohibition party did not contrib
ute to an appreciable extent to
national prohibition. 1t came about in
spite of and regardless of the efforts
of the Prohibition party, and AS a
Iarty the Prohibition party never
, could have accomplished it, because it
was hopelessly and always in a
minority.
| Now, the only way you can have re-
sponsible government is through a
! party. A party has state, it has
/ something to work for; and the some
thing to work for, if it is properly or
ganiZed, is the success of the princi-
/ pies to which it is devoted. Now of
| course, you cannot secure unanimity
of opinion as to any great mass of
| principles. There must be compro-
misses. Every one cannot have his or
, her way.
''If you are to have concert of action
| the individual has to subordinate
some views to meet the views of the
others, and so you accept that set of
principles which, for the most part, or
as nearly as it is possible to attain
represents your views, and, accepting
them. you belong, we will say, to one
party or the other. And if you do, if
you believe in party government, as
do, and in party responsibility as l do,
then you will support the candidates
whom you believe best fitted and most
willing to carry out the principles that
| you stand for, and instead of voting
| for individuals you will vote for prin-
ciples if you wish to accomplish some
| thing.
$50 much, now from the standpoint
of being able to exercise the influence
| in the community that you ought to
exercise. One word upon the other
side. ".n.--.- .-~.e=z
.,;l fhat onr laIxy rot n