Evening star., 1921-07-03
BY THOS. n. MARSHALL,
Former Vice President Of the
limited States.

Cnlted States.
l F George Washington were
/ alive today and were prepar-
ing his farewell address to his
fellow citizens, he would
probably warn them not only
against the dangers of intense
partisan spirit. but against the de-
sertion Of the fixed principles upon
which the American government
was builded, and he probably
would caution them against the
grouping Of themselves into
"blocs," representative not Of prin-
ciples. but Of interests.
For four years and more it has
been apparent to aEy man who
watched the trend Of American
politics that ours is a government
not Of party principles. but OF
compromising interests.
Many a woman lives years with a
man long after she has lost even
the semblance Of respect for him.
She has Just grown into the habit
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to her: it is but the state in which
God pleased to put her. and there
she stays. Untold thousands are
democrats or republicans not be-
cause they are enthusiastic over
either leaders or platforms. but
just because they have acquired
the habit. 1t is not that they love
the one party. but that they dis
like the other.
For many years the aisle in tho
United States Senate which is sup
posed to divide one party from the
other has been a twilight zone.
where the recalcitrants Of each
party foregather. These recalci-
trants may safely be trusted to at
tend nominating conventions; they
are eloquent on the stump and help
elect the ticket, but in legislative
halls. after the election. they dis
cover that their views are more in
accord with the Views Of certain
men on the other side Of the aisle
than with those Of the leaders on
their own side.
For more than hye years now a
strict party vote has been of suffi-
cient interest to claim first page
space Of the leading newspapers
of the country.
What Is true in legislative halls
t. Sp he rfv1y az
large. I meet democrats who are
stanch defenders Of high pro-
~tective tariff: others. who are quite
satisfied that 1t is to the best in
terests Of the republic to central
re power in Washington: some
who claim they are democrats
when Bryan leads and some when
Wilson leads. hnd republicans
who are opposed to protection but
who vote the ticket because there
is solid south; who consent to
local self-government and who
stand opposed to the supervisory
powers of government. When
elections come along they are out
wardly regular. whatever they may
happen to do in the polling booths.
Such a state Of public mind and
legislative opinion is leading in
evitably to one OF two things
either to a dissolution Of the old
parties or to clean-cut declara-
tions OF ancient principles and
call to all those who believe In
these principles regardless Of par
ty Affiliations.
. ] am myself a Jeffefsouial
demscrat. L am not convinced
that the principles of Jefferson
have been improved by the many
appendices and addenda attached
to them by we'll meaning persons
who conceived that the business Of
a political party was to discover
and put into effect something new.
1 am not opposed to anything new
II 1t be good. nor have I ever OBJ
jected to the people trying new
things to ascertain whether they
are good. but. now that white
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ness. I hope the American citizen
will quit riding It.
I had q friend In Indiana who
suffered q serious accident. Upon
recovery he found himself in the
unusual condition that whenever
he attempted to go, forward. he
found himself walking backward.
The only way in which he could
advance was to make himself be-
lieve that he was going backward.
With much trepidation and In all
humility of spirit, admit that
since last November have felt
that the only way in which the
democratic party can ever 90 for
ward is to get it into the heads Of
the people that it is going back
ward-to the principles-upon which
It was founded. =.
Principles seems to be something
that is to be talked about, but
which is not to be used in the ac-