The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-12-20
MAHONEY DEMANDS
MILITANT POLICY
FOR F.L.P.PARTY
No Place For Third Party That
Plays Politics to Placate Pluto
cpacy and At Same Time Tries
to Protect Wealth Producers. He
Says.

81. Paul, Minn.-In a recent Is
sue OF the Union Advocate, Viii.
liam MahOney editor, declares that
the Farmer-Labor Party of Mime
sofa must stand for fundamental
changes in the economic system or
else stand doomed to perish.
Mahoney declares that those who
founded the Farmer-Labor Party
had definite social ideals and have
stood by the movement for ten
years hoping that it would adopt a
program and take form that would
Justify its existence. Apparently
Mr., Mahoney is not satisfied that
the organization has lived UP to
the expectations reposed in it by
Its founders. Mahoney's article
reads:
The Farmer-Labor party of Min
nesota is approaching the most eri-
lcal stage of its career; it has
"come-of-age," and must show
clearly its complexion and detern.
ination. If it stands for funda-
mental changes it will go forward
and succeed; if it is a mere pppo-
sition movement with constructive
aims and objects it will perish and
ought to.
Those who laid the foundation of
the Farmer-Labor movement of
Minnesota had definite ideals and
have stood by the movement for
ten years in the hope that the or
ganization would adopt a program
and take form which would JUS
tify the existence of a new polirl-
cal alignment. Many influences
and factors have played a part in
shaping its career and preserving
its existence; but the time has
come for its final definition.
Must Stand for Change
There is no place in the political
field for a new party which rests
its claim for existence on greater
honesty" "efficiehcy" or cour-
age in carrying on the present in
dustrial system; the old parties
there may lay claims to these vtr-
tues in the same measure that a
new movement might. 1t is neces-
sary to stand for principles which
oppose the tribute gathering
power of monopoly and offer a
program that will overcome such
evil power.
The Farmer-Labor party of Min
nesota was born during critical
times and grew to great strength
before the movement had time to
adjust itself to its opportunities
and formulate its program of &C
ton; supporters have been at
tracted to the movement by its
sudden and unusual growth in the
hope of personal benefit and have
not appreciated their obligation to
build the movement in a way to
accomplish any far reaching
change in the industrial system. AS
a consequence many feel that the
Farmer-Labor party is not essen
TALLY different from the Republic
can and the Democratic parties and
are asking just in what way dc
Farmer-Labor representatives diff
fer from the old partyites.
Original Procedure
When the Nonpartisan and the
Working Peoples Leagues, the pre-
cursors of the Farmer-Lahor party
made their advent, the men sent
to the legislature met regularly in
caucus and developed their pro-
gram and Loyalty supported the de-
cisions reached; they represented
a definite set of principles funda-
mentally different from the oppo-
sition; but this original practice
has been gradually relinquisheC
until. during recent years, so-calleC
Farmer Labor legislators have no1
even caucused nor co-ordinateC
their activities with the result thai
little of a constructive and pro
gressive nature has been proposed
and accomplished.
On the other hand, there hai
been little of an organized effor
put forward by Farmer-Laborite
in support of their nominees VIII
run as "nonpartisan" candidates
who, when elected, feel free from
anv OBLIGATION to cooperate witt
other Farmer-Labor representa-
tives.
Independent" Legislators
There has grown up during re