The Bemidji Daily Pioneer

WILSON'S PARTISANSHIP ROUNDY SCORED

Newspapers, small and metropolitan, throughout the nation are vociferous in their denunciation of the latest utterance of President Wilson; urging the election of only democrats to the national senate and house. The press is taking the view that the urging of the president is a direct insult to the republicans of the country, and it has been suggested that the president take a census of the American fighting forces in France and withdraw the soldiers not democrats, republicans and others being classed as not loyal to their country.
The appeal to send only democrats to the senate and house is asked as a personal favor, it being claimed that the republicans are not to be trusted in upholding the government in winning the war. It is the most childish and partisan utterance ever made by a president of the United States and the press of the country is not slow in so stating. If anything was ever uttered by the nation's chief in the interest of partisan politics it was the appeal to the people of the nation to send only representatives to congress bearing the democratic stamp, ignoring their character and abilities. The label is the thing, seemingly, to imply all that is holy and righteous, and the collar bearing the stamp of "Democrat" is held up to be the badge of honor and capabilities.
The president seems to think if any republicans were elected it would give comfort to Germany and indicate a lack of confidence in the administration, but he is the only one who entertains any such nonsensical belief.
The whole thing is amazing partisan politics on the part of a president of the United States and sets another precedent in a frenzied attempt to bolster up another term in 1920.