Evening star., 1924-08-03
Sees Principles
Need of Both Parties

the Constitution that the nominating
convention became a factor in Amer
ican politics.
l ventured to suggest to one of the
ablest Democrats Of the Nation that
3 it might be well under the circum-
stances TO return to the Constitution
by merely passing a resolution re-
questing the Democratic electors to
meet after their election and de-
termine by a majority vote for whom
they would cast their ballots for
President and Vice President Of the
ing the suggestion. ] had In mind
the double purpose of solving the
seemingly unsolvable problem of a
nomination and Of forcing on the
voters consideration of principles of
government rather than Of the per-
l received was what l expected. 1t
was to the effect that the idea was
excellent, but that we would have
no Democratic electors to convene.
IN other words. Ii was an expression
OF tne opinion Of 2 great Democrat
victions, that the public mind had
so changed that failure of the con-
vention to nominate would mean the
loss or every state in the Union. The
more consider his answer the more
am inclined to believe he was en-
Platforms have changed with the
general change that has come owe!
the face or politics. We no longer
are content to state few great prin-
clples. We now discuss every phase
OF legislative and executive control
dreary. Maybe we understand what
they contain and maybe we don't
] sometimes feel that the modern po-
iitical platform represents a definite
idea to be all things to all men.
nave read all the platforms adopted
derlying each-the principle Of get
ting Into office or staying in.
y 4
or course, when political parties
are striving to recruit to their stand
ards men of all ideas and no ideas
men of all faiths and no faiths, il
naturally is incumbent upon them to
concel in a multitude of words any
principle which they may really hold
! recall a speech of the late William
j. Stone, veteran Missouri senator, on
prohibition. He convinced the vets
that he was with them and the drys
that he was their strongest advocate
The effort to draw into one camp
men who are thinking upon different
subjects and thinking differently
upon the same subjects has done
much to encourage the idea that a
principle does not go far with the
American people Administration
Will continue to fall short of perfec,
efficiency SO long as this condition OF
affairs exists in American politics.
Personal popularity may result In the
election of man to the presidency and
he may for a time sustai in himself BY
dint of his popularity. but sooner OF
later his popularity is likely to fade
whereupon he will find himself con-
fronted with contending ideas. Prin-
ciples are far safer to tie to. 1t is an
unsafe presumption to elect a man on
the theory that he will be your friend in
office. A humorst during the New York
convention suggested that candidate
could make ten-strike and win the
nomination by declaring for enforcement
OF prohibition In the dry states and TO!
ron-enforcement in the wet states. OF
course, such a thing would appeal only
TO a humorist A candidate might Just
as we'll go to mass in New York and
put on a slip in Georgia
Thank God, Democracy blunders or
and on and on and blunders finally intc
the right, but l really wish We could
have fight once again over set OF
principles and not have our minds dis
tracted by the popularity and personal
views of the candidates.
Copyright. 1924, by 2Ist Century Pressl