The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-07-20
PARTY RESPONSIBILITY


: Recent political events significant as showing
now firmly Americans are welded to the two-party
ystem of arcuating the interests of average people
IN governmental affairs.
:. They afford too, some splendid examples of good
~:tzenship and plentiful evidence Of the fact that po
~itical idealism is not dead in this country
One Of the most critics of the recent Repub-
..ican convention at Kansas City Senator Norris
of Nebraska. Yet he declined to head third party; he
Frankly told his friends such effort futile and
later refused the presidential nomination from the
minor Farmer Labor group.
Senator La Toilette was another who told the Re-
publican convention at Kansas City what he thought
Of his partys shortcomings, also another who refused
ito leave the party, though it turned down prac
ideally every issue for which he fought before it, He
probably remembered the experience Of his father in
the campaign of 1924 and of Theodore Roosevelt at
an earlier date.
1t is likewise interesting to note that Congressman
Dickinson who delivered splendid speech in Bis
marck July 4, and Vice President Dawes, outstanding
champions of the McNary Haugen bill. have into
the camp of Herbert Hoover.
All of these have chosen wisely. They will
serve their constituencies best and do less violence
their ideals within the Republican grouping than out
side it. They will be welcomed there by those of
breadth and intelligence despite their views because
they will be distinct influences to hold the party
responsibility to point out shortcomings failures in
policy, tendencies that keeping with the
traditions of their party and the aspirations of the
people for which it speaks.
: In every function Of democratic government it is
vital that majority rule be recognized. No would
have political party entirely composed of "yes
/. The dssenters are the who keep the two great
parties in America virle they are.
The party dissenter who leaves his party commits
political harikar and destroys his usefulness. while
sacrificing such respect he has and forfeting his
! last opportunity to serve the he espouses.
It is frequently said that both the old parties are
hopeless that they controlled that they longer
express the hopes of the people.
If that condition is true in any party it is because the
plain people do not assert themselves. Parties Of
protest achieve little that is constructive. The
tests voiced within party councils invaluable They
, keep things on keel. They insure the life
and usefulness of political groupings.
The principle of majority rule in political parties and
in all group undertakings is old and tried It is the
democratic institutions.
there is ample opportunity for citizenship express
itself within the two major parties. Diversions are
spectacular. but barren of practical results. Con-
sstency wins respect and in the long goes farther
to achieve its honest detectives than militant crusadng
bf the impractical variety, noisy but ineffective.
Men like Senator Norris, Senator La Toilette, Vice
President Dawes and Congressman Dickinson are
setting the rank and file in their party who follow them
mo inconsiderabe group-an example worth while.
They serving their constituencies and their inter.
ests better than if they suked in their headed
futile third party movements.