The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-10-07
|SEN. M'CUMBER OPPOSES BREA KD0WN OF PARTY IINES
| lADD C0NGRESSMEN 81 TATE POSITION ON THERECALL
Republican Party Nationally
Can Be Perpetuated Only
Through State Organization
MINORITY MIGHT PREVAIL

Says That Without State Organ.
ization Control Might Be
Wrested From Dominant
Party
United States Senator Porter 7 Mc.
Cumber, senior senator from North
Dakota, is opposed to the initiated
laws submitted to the voters at the re-
recall election which would provide
Tor election of state officials from gov.
ernor on down by nonpartisan bal
lot. Senator McCulnber, in response
to request for his views on the sub.
ject, which have engros:ed the atten-
tion particularly OF the members of
the Republican party, says that state
party organization is necessary to the
welfare of the national party organi.
cation and that 1T is easy to see that
one national organization can only be
perpetuated by keeping an active Re-
publican organization in the state it.
self"
Senator McCumbers statement fol-
lows:
II am just in receipt of your favor
OF the 31st ultimo requesting a short
statement of my opinion concerning
the propriety of abolishing party lines
in our election of state officers.
I'm my opinion this would be most
grave mistake. Imagine an American
Congress composed Of members, each
and all OF whom had been elected in
dependently of and dninfluenced by
any party principles, and what would
result. Before that Congress had been
in session thirty days it would crystal
ize into we'll defined groups, each
group representing particular set of
principles or purposes. These groups
might be three or four, or five, or
more. In other words legislation would
result from the dominant organization
putting through its measures either in
dependently of all the others, or in
conjunction or combination with one
or more OF them. Legislation would
still be the result Of party organiza-
tiOn.
without such organization legisla-
tions would be spasmodic and unrela:-
ed. 1t Is just as idle to talk Of con-
ducting a government without organ
lied effort or put into force great gov
arnmental policies and principles as IL
would be to talk Of maintaining liv.
ing and successful church without a
creed or set of guiding principles 10
lead and inspire its members.
Need Organized Membership,
I'VE not only must have the prin.
ciples to guide our course but we must
have the organized political party or
organized membership Of the church
to effectuate our purposes.
Political organizations mean that
every condition, industrial and other
wise, affecting the welfare Of the coun-
try will be considered The policy to
be advocated by each party to best full
fill the national aspiration for peace
and prosperity can be presented
through this organization to the peo-
pie for their approval or rejection.
1T is only In this way that the vot-
er will know Just what his ballot will
mean. He not only wants to select
a reasonably good man to represent
him, but he also wants to know ,wha:
that man stands for. There are ,splen-
did men In the ranks OF each party but
their views may be as dissimilar as
black and white.
This voter not only is entitled to know
what his representative will stand for.
but also that he will have with him
an organized party that will assure to
a reasonable degree that the remedy
which he seeks to apply to any gov
ernmental evil will be put into effect.
"On the other hand people who bc
iieve In certain specified political do.
trlnes can. through organization, place
such doctrines and policies before the
public for It's approval. These things
cannot be done unless political organ
lzation Is in existence With its promul-
gated doctrines before the election.
Chaos Without Party.
without party lines and party Or
ganlzatton We would have condition
OF chaos, not only in our legislative
nails but throughout the country. No
line Of business could forecast what
shape future legislation might take.
we need this organization to guide the
ohlp OF State as much as we need
North Star or compass to guide a
vessels course into the port of its
destination:
Every stable and we'll governed
natlcn of the world is conducted
through political organizations. The
watchfulness of each political party
compels the other at all times to strive
1or<the best possible results It must
DO this to insure its own supremacy.
1t is through this everlasting vigilance
and the whip of organized criticism
that will always come the greatest
good to the greatest number.
| Every line of human history, as
we'll as every element of philosophy
speaks the necessity fol a government
by and through political organization.
These reasons Apply with equal
force to the politics of state. As no
! government can be run ". stable and
certain course except through policies
adopted and put into effect throug,,
party organization, the destruction OF
such organization would result in the
same injury. whether the destructive
blow be struck by federal or state law
| "This beinp government Of and nv