Evening star., 1926-03-07
BY WILL. =. KENNEDY.

A RE the two big political parties
~ Repnhlican and Democratic
II getting together?
Is this for the best interests
Of the country?
Whittier are we tending?
These questions are not based on
mere tireside ruminations while in
clouded in pipe smoke. They are
causing deep concern to party lead
ers and to thoughtful. forward-look
jne voters They are being discussed
earnestly in conferences at the Cap'
itol.
From time immemorial the ques-
tions of ta aXation and tariff have been
the dividing line between the two
parties The taxing power is the
greatest trust self governing people
can delegate to Congress. but in the
present session we have seen the I'M
precedented spectacle of both parties
uniting on the tax bill. and we have
heard scarcely n murmur about the
tariff with congressional primaries
coming on soon.
For the last quarter Of a century
the Republican and Democratic party
platforms have been growing To ne
''as like as two peas, 50 that now
It is hard even for party chiettalnS
70 tell them apart. Throughout the
outstanding domino mt distinction
between Democrats and Republicans.
Rut now the tariff is being determine
on economic principles rather than
political policies.
Differ Only in Name.
So we find Republicans today differ
ing not at all 0n fundamentals, on
ba sic principles, from the Democrats
and vice versa. Republicans and
Democrats differ now in name only
and the names themselves are not
exact.
The claim is heing made that the
ReuuhlicanS have "SWalloWed the
Democratic party" But whatever
name YOU may cali the fusinG proc
esS-swa lowing. merger. dIslnteSra
ton. assimilation. welding-the result
Is not going to he for the best IN
terests of this Nation. The first and
most immediate result would be To
centraliZe practically all of the law
making power of Congress in TWO on
three leeS-particularlN. ap-
nropriationS and ways and means.
Even with the House about evenly
split between the two parties there
has been a great deal of comment
that since the appropria tions COM
mfttpe has the final say about appro-
nriatiurs there is little real authority
vested in the other major legislative
committees which pass HDon the
substantive law authorizing appropria-
lions which the appropriations com
n1ittee may or may not grant.
Throughout the country there is
general conviction that this country
progresses better under = two party
system and its institutions and
foundation principles are safer and
the interests of all the people better
protected when there is strong
minority party. This has recently
been emphasized in editorial COM
ment in MANY of the leading news
papers of the country.
seek Outstanding Issues.
So that is the situation as seen by
many thoughtful publicistS-a nd it is
viewed as not at all for the best in
tereStS of the cOuntrN-In fact,
dangerous situation. Both parties
are alive to the danger and stirring
around to find outstanding issues for
campaign that will drive the parties
apart again.
Is history about to repeat itself?
Here is the background that causes
concern.
Something like 100 years ago we
had I'm this country what is called
"the pra of good feeling" when
political parties ha6 disinieerated for
lack of live issues upon which 10
separate or disagree During that
period il might he said that there
were no political parties eXtant. and
that there was a merging of former
parties into an aggregation of indi-
viduals who were aCtuated almost
entirely by considera ton of what
they deemed 70 he for the best in
terestS Of the country.
That condition. however. could not
continue In a democratic republic
where responsible party government
was found to he necessary in order
that there might he, as the late
Speaker Clark would say. "a nascent
ma iority and \ virile minority" SO
with the advent of Jackson's admin
iStration partisan politics was re-
vived. The former Democratic party
was vitalized and party struggles for
political supremacy became bitter
more bitter even than 1t had been in
the days Of the Federal and Jefferson
ian parties.
That artisanship and the line of
cleavage was not sectional. for with
the regeneration Of partisan issues
was horn the Whig party. composed
of men of all sections of the country.
Such a coalition as resulted in the
eiectlon ny tne House OF f(epieStnl-
etives of John Quincy Adams. when
the electoral college had failed to
elect, by the throwing of the Clay
strength to Adams. would hardly be
imagined or repeated. 1t was one
Of the effects. the cause of which
was the scrambling of political parties
and its immediate resultant effect
was the return to the party system.
\nimositieS Aroused
Anmosities that had long lain
dormant were again aroused. From
an inoCCuouS state. under Jackson we
took on a new life and he became
popular idol and dictator. The people
had feared the power of the preSi-
denCy. and had put the clamps on our
PreSidents-hut they tired of that.
wearied of the impotency of the head
OF TIE Nation. They did not want
7acItlc methods any longer. and so
Jackson was welcomed as a strong
individualistic Chief Executive. who
would exercise wonderful will power
and dominion over the people of whom
he was titular head. and he'd brook
no interference with his prerogatives
by Congress.
Now we have come to days where
ii would seem as if history is repeat
ing itself, where there are no real
economic differences between the two
great political parties, in both of
which are found elements incongru-
Gus TO the original genius of the
parties. when they clashed in many
memorable campaigns.
Heretofore when issues seemed to