Arizona republican., 1921-01-05
Party Patronaqe

within the last week two preceding the elec- ton of a Republican national committeeman we heard some pretty frank talk the subject of pat ronage All the latter day restraint which crcum- scribes discussions the ancient spells system was thrown off and, a closeup of the system was taken and pronounced good. The qualifications of the can didates for the committeemanship measured by their supposed ability deliver the goods to their respective supporters. The part that either might play in affordns wise counsel to the national committee for the strengthening of the party peared to have been lost sight of One would have gained the impression that President-eect Harding sitting in his green painted white trimmed Marion mansion awaited the result in Arizona. We may have fancied we could hear him whisper tensely to Christian his private secretary John this is great an eventful an epochal day in the history of the Republican party. They getting ready at Phoenix to divide the loaves and fishes"
 Yes" your exceHency" again we fancy we hear Mir Christian reply from the left hand upraised ner of his mouth. We cannot definitely the places at the pie counter until find out from Phoenix where we're going to get off,
 There was much talk too of the desirabity of having & national committeeman in complete accord with our Republican United states senator-for the division of the spoils and nothing else. That put forward as the most telling argument in behalf of MT. Cameron who as national committeeman, would bo in complete accord with himself, such perfect sccord the world of politics has seldom witnessed.
 We say nothing against the fitness of MT. Cameron for that position He is energetic resource full and he is close to the leading members of the national committee and will be closer as the days go by. He is in closer touch with Marion than any other Arizonan. and we have no doubt that in the distribution of perqusites among Arizonians his fuence win be potent than that of any other citizen of this state. the influence of any bination of citizens likely to be formed.
 Nor have we anything to say for or against the fitness of Cameron's successful competitor for the committeemanship. And we will not discuss comparatively his patronage pulling power with that of MT. Cameron. for we do not believe that the fu- ture of the Republican party in Arizona depends upon the exercise of that power
 We win concede that. patronage in our present imperfect political state is essential to party organ izaton. The man who assumes to be a party leader either for the qualification his own ambition or for the purificaton of politics. and who disregards the existence of the spells system it has now been properly cIrtailed, gets nowhere. There must be a nucleus for organization and the nucleus is aI- ways made up of men for whom there is something in it, and something substantial.
 But the rank and file do not care Most of the mass do not want anything and the most of the whatever they might want so hopeless of having
 
 to the distribution. and do not really care whether there is distribution.
 Whether it should be made by a national com mitteeman or by United states senator or whether it should not be made aI is all one to them This indifference becomes general as party lines be come more lax, and as party organizations becom, less effective in political campaigns
 We trust that the time may soon come when tn, heads of organizations their lieutenants may b, men who arc concerned only in good government an, who support one party the other, only because O their belief that it's principles and policies are thu better for the country.
 There arc we understand, about 100000 offices most of them, of course. petty ones which chang hands with administrations Is it not ridiculous tha l2VoooOo voters should be wrought into high stat of excitement through primary and general cam paign covering a period of six months for the dis position of such an issue?