Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-14
THE WILL OF THE PARTY.

NioAy ~ liz l. III uSNldlC
itself for "the will of the party!' For six years the
Courier-News and those for whom it speaks have
used the political party-whichever party it happen
ed to be, Republican or Democratic-for sole pur-
pose of promoting the fortunes of a political organi-
zation which, true to it's name, is strictly non-parti-
san as between the two regular organizations. But
the Fargo paper has seen new light, and is now a
stickler for party regularity as rigid as that demand
ed years ago by any old-liner. The facts develop
in this way: !.
A correspondent CT the Courier-News writes
advising leaguers to vote in the fall election to dis
regard the verdict rendered in the Republican
primary and vote for the Democratic candidate for
governor, thus retiring Nestos and as he says giving
the |. V. Asa dose of their own medicine. The
Courier-News is surprised, panied, shocked and
otherwise disturbed. 1T cannot countenance such a
breach of faith, such a violation of ethics. 1t sees at
once that a question of honor is involved. From the
lofty altitude which it occupies the Courier News de-
livers itself thus:
AS to our own honor. The Nonpartisan
League entered the primary election with a
ticket of candidates endorsed for the Republican
ticket. In the result. we won u. S. Senator,
one congressman and FIVE state offices. Our op-
ponents took two congressman and six state
offices. The thing was pretty evenly divided.
Having thus gone into the contest, does it
con1port with our honor to r~epudiate the deci-
sion of all the people? Because we did not win
all, shall we WEIGH on the decision and refuse to
abide by the judgment of the organization
whose verdict we invoked?
~ Remember-we were not required to go into
the Republican primary. We did it voluntarily.
Remember, too, that WI shall expect of our op-
ponents the same obedience to the will of the
party as we are willing to yield. Remember,
again, that even if the enemy refuses to accept
the decision Of the whole party, voting, and sup
ports Democrats for U. S. Senator and state Of
hce-two wrongs never made a right.
That is the question of honor we have To
decide.
Exactly. Quite so. Them sentiments does it
credit. We have there presented, not only the lofty
moral attitude of the Courier-News itself, but indi-
cation of a purpose to correct the practice of those of
its own household who in the past have straved
from the straight and narrow path, forsaking the
stern rigidity of political morality for chances at the
f%esh-pots of opportunism. Without, going i
ticulars, the Courier-News thus administers a
singing rebuke to the league members and league
management who, and which, in past campaigns
have gone into Republican primaries, and then, dis
regarding the result of such primaries as to the Of
hces tor which other than league candidates were
nominated, have placed in the field and supported
other candidates against them. The Courier-News
is now moved to expose the ~iniquity of such conduct.
and to take its stand again, boldly and bravely, under
the glorious standard of party regularity.
Having declared its own 1audable intentions.
w shall expect of our opponents" it says, "the
same obedience to the will Of the party as we are
willing to yield" Shall we be surpassed in we'll
doing? Never! Not at all! Nothing of the sort!
The Courier-News may rest assured that the indie
pendent voters will give fully as much weight to
considerations OF party regularity as have been and
are gwen by its own crowd.