Evening star., 1922-10-03
OLD PARTY LINES
VANISHING IN WEST
Democratic Party About
Gone; Republican Slipping,
Says Lawrence.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, October a.
What has become of the democratic
party. To answer this question one
must ask another: What is becom-
ing of the republican party?
Consider the situation in three
neighboring states-Wisconsin, Min
nesota and North Dakota. In the first
the democrat didn't poll enough
votes in the primary to get a place
on the ticket as provided in Wiscon-
sin law. In Minnesota the democrats
have been third for the last two
years, having been superseded by the
Non-Partisan League party, now
known officially here as the farmer
labor party. And it is-How conceded
that this autumn the farmer-labor
candidates will finish second and the
democrats third. In North Dakota
the democrats have been able to keep
a semblance of party organization by
the help of those republicans who dis
like the Non-parIisan's Leagues cap
ture of the label republican.
Moderntes In Fusion.
The old-line parties, or rather the
old labels, are merely matters of legal
form. There are two parties-mod-
crates and radicals. The democrats
who found they couldn't use their
ballots to good effect in one party
went over to the republican party, and
the latter is top-heavy with numbers
The old-line republicans are uncom-
Portable because inside their own
party they are now in the minority,
in Wisconsin and it's nip and tuck
IN Minnesota and North Dakota for
possession of the party machinery.
Fuslon of the moderates-for re-
publican and democrats will combine
in emergencies of this kind--is going
on openly. People of like way OF
thinking will join with each other
against radicalism. and radicals who
believe that in union there is strength
Will combine under one party label
Unquestionably,,rad democrats by
the thousands helped La Toilette in
Wisconsin and are now enrolled as
republicans.
Radicals ON Farms.
Most of the so-called radicalism
arises on the farm and is one method
of voicins dissatisfaction with the
economic situation which puts wheat
below dollar a bushel. This Is the
its following, but curiously enough
the farm bloc" as it is known in
the United States Senate. and as it's
supporters here reveal their pro-
grams. is a conservative institution
compared with the socialistic groups
of farm radicals who follow the Nom
Partisan League doctrine.
Although Wall street and eastern
opinion generally looks upon the
farm bloc" as a dangerous PROPOSE
ton in American politics. the truth is
the farm bloc is one way of prevent
ing something worse, namely the
Non Partisan League.
Kellogg Called Conservative.
Consider Frank B. Kellogg, United
States senator from Minnesota and
candidate for reelection. For years
he was tied up with corporate inter-
ests as a lawyer. His whole back
ground is one of conservatism. He is
the last man in the world who could
be accused of radicalism. Yet he is a
leader in the farm bloc" and is be-
ing attacked as TOO conservative" by
United States Senate.
ShteI are III tHlS
part of the world. Here is Repre-
sentative Volsteed. author of the
most widely advertised law in a
generation, fighting hard for re-elec-
ton. The "wets" are pouring money
and workers into his district. 1t mat
ters not that Volstead's opponent is
as dry as the Sahara-the point is to
beat Volstead and revive the despair
ing thirst of "wets" throughout the
land.
Democratic Party Vanishing.
Another unique congressional fight
is that of Representative Keller, re-
publican, who introduced the resolu-
ton to impeach Attorney General
Daugherty for his injunction against
the railway shopmen. The regular
republican organization has with