Evening star., 1924-03-19
Politics at Large
BY N. O. MESSENGER


publican national committee. has
made an appeal for fuller participa-
tion OF voters in party activities. In
q current statement he says:
American citizens are responsible
for the character Of their govern
ment, whether it be federal, state or
local. Our public officials are nomi-
mated and elected by the people. 1t
should be kept In mind that the work
of getting good public officials is not
all done on election day 1t begins
in the party primaries and conven-
tions. This preliminary work for the
+ coming presidential election is now
well under way. In many states the
dates of the primaries and conven-
tio1s for selection of candidates have
been set
1T is the duty of every good citizen
who wishes good government to be-
long to a party and to participate in
ms party primaries. 1t is his duty to
see that the candidates nominated
are party men who represent the
party principles and who are pledged
to support it's policies and cooper
ate with its organization. Only in
TINS manner can We have responsible
party government, which is the most
successful form of representative
government yet devised.
X y \ X
During the last few years." Chair
man Adams goes on to say, there
mas been a great deal of propaganda
decrying party activity. There hac
peen an attempt to make virtue of
so-called -partisanship. Instead
of non -partisanship beingsa virtue, it
Is menace. 1t tends to break down
representative government. The need
OF the hour is not for less party ac-
tivity, but for more of it.
me underiying cause of most po-
/ HIical evils today is the indifference
OF our citizens to their right Of suf-
rage. Even the briefest study Of
nomination and election figures shows
tIlat the majority of legal voters are
taxing no part either in their pri-
nlarleS or the general elections. Less
IMAM half the citizens of the United
| states voted in the presidential cleo
ton of 1920. The percentage taking
part IN the congressional elections
OF l322 was even less.
Such conditions make possible a
sentative government is not auto
iAtlc. 1t is not self-supporting. 1t
| draws not only its authority from the
people, but 1t draws its strength and
vitality from them Unless they par
tlclpate In public affairs in an active
anu anu intelligent manner their govern
tive
y 4 x *
Inc NEXT hip cnpfnc+
lection of republican delegates is in
South Dakota, where the primaries
VIII be held April 25. 1t is a red-hot
night between President Coolidge and
senator Hiram w. johnson, with n
sprinkling of La Toilette support,
which, of course, will be intensified
by the result in North Dakota.
secretary of Labor Davis, i good
kota to take up the cudgels in Lehalf
OF president Coolidge. He viii, tell
the voters what the Coolidge adj lin
istration has done and explain its
policles, especially the Mellon .,x
plah. Leslie NJ. Shaw Of Iowa. form r
secretary Of the Treasury and We
known in the northwest, is also a
the stump for the President
* 4 < 4
eleven delegates at large from Hi
nois to the republican national con-
vention is assuming bitter propor-
tions. Former Representative William
A. Rodenberg of that state, who re-
tuseo to abide by the uninstructed
slate made up by the leaders and
kicked over the traces by announcing
himself as a candidate instructed for
PRESIDENT Coolidge, is out in a bitter
attack upon the bosses" as he terms
the leaders: In statement sent to
every republican newspaper in the
state he charges that the slate was
prepared by Senator William B. Nc
kinley. He says:
There are several names on Nc
kinley's hand-picked slate that are
absolutely meaningless so far as the
republicans of Illinois are concerned
Several of his selections are men who
have contributed less than nothing tc
republican success in state and nation
They are not representative of the
party and their election as delegates
at large cannot be justified on any
| sound political grounds.
In arranging his hand-picked
slate our new senatorial boss kindly
granted a single representative to thai
vast section of the state lying south
of Springfield and comprising almos,
six congressional districts. He alsc
! kindly permitted the woman voters Of
[ ative who resides in Chicago and de.
! MED the down state woman voters
| any representation whatsoever. / dc
not believe that the fair-minded re-
publicans of the state will sane
| tion such unjustiffable discrimination
! against the woman voters and against
| the loyal republicans of southern Hi.
noiS.
| X X y X
Taking a vigorous side-swipe al
the Senate, the statement goes on tc
say:
| I'm view Of the present disgracefu
performances of the United States
Senate, the republicans can no longer
look for leadership to that hysterica
and discredited body. Instead of per.
/ forming it's constitutional functions
and legislating in the interests OF
| the people, as urgently requested By
| President Coolidge, the Senate ha;
| become a school for scandal, in which
any kind of investigating resolution
can be passed upon the mere presen.
| tation of irresponsible gossip ant
rumor. The less the party submits
to senatorial dictation at this time
the better our prospects for success:
| in November"
| So the third party movement bobs
| I'D again, this time, with the sug.
F.: eestion that it may be headed by