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Show OUR TWO-PARTY SYSTEM JUSTIFIED BY THE RECORD The two party system in the United States has definite advantages ad-vantages peculiar to the American Ameri-can people. In the first place, the party not in power always is strong enough to serve as a watchdog of the other party. Any misuse of power will quickly quick-ly be called to the attention of 'the voters by the party not in I power, which hopes to gain office of-fice by pointing such methods. ' The two party system of this country also acts as a body to enforce responsibility of officials. offici-als. Because of its internal power pow-er of nominating candidates, etc., the party can usually influence all office-holders, including the President, not to do, or to do, certain things voters are clamoring clamor-ing for. The party, in other words, is responsible for the actions ac-tions of the officers and will answer ans-wer for those actions in the next general election. Therefore, it acts as a stabilizing influence and as an intermediary between the people and their officers. The two parties in this country serve other purposes. They have a definite nationalizing influence influ-ence on the voters. Whether or not the voters agreed on all policies poli-cies of one party, they know that only two parties have any chance of winning control of Congress. Therefore, they divide up into either Democrats or Republicans Re-publicans and any different factions fac-tions celebrate the election of the same candidate. These voters, vot-ers, except for the two-party sys tem, would have been divided into many parties. There have always been two major parties in the history of this country. The Federalists were organized to bring about the adoption of the Constitution. They disintegrated gradually during the period when the Republican Re-publican - Democrats came into power, lhe Republican - Democrats Demo-crats dropped the first word and became Democrats during the time of Andrew Jackson. The Republican party was born in 1854 and came into power nationally na-tionally in 1860. Numerous third parties have tried to breach the hold of the two major ma-jor parties but they remain an American institution. History has shown that when either of the two major parties splits into two camps, it invariably invari-ably loses power. Therefore, the parties, although they contain many opposing factions, remain intact. One of the greatest services ser-vices of the two-party system is the unity that it brings about in all branches of the government. This sometimes means the turnout turn-out of officers after elections but it assures the same policy among all the branches. A popular election of the President would be almost impossible im-possible if it were not for the two party system. The two parties par-ties each nominate one man and the nation chooses between the two. If every section of the county did not concentrate on two candidates instead of two dozen sectional candidates, the Electoral College would be faced with a difficult job in electing the President. The parties provide pro-vide candidates with financial support. With numerous little parties, one financial group might be able to control an entire en-tire party and occasionally, elect a President from that party. It seems that despite its big weakness, that Congress might be in control of one party and the executive branch in the other, oth-er, the two party system suits Americans well enough to deserve de-serve continuance. It can be recorded re-corded as a success in this country. coun-try. Its one weakness will probably prob-ably be corrected in the course of ensuing years. FROM 81 TO 34 TO 146; NOT MUCH STREAMLINING The legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 reduced the number of standing committees in Congress Con-gress from eighty-one to thirty-four. thirty-four. The idea was to consolidate consoli-date jurisdiction into a more compact and efficient pattern. A survey of activities in Congress Con-gress reported in The New York Times reveals that there has been a rapid development of subcommittees, sub-committees, so that there are now one hundred forty-six of them. This is in addition to eleven joint and special committees. com-mittees. The Appropriations Committee Commit-tee has twelve sub-committees. So does the Armed Services Committee. There are nine subcommittees sub-committees in the Committee on Agriculture, eight in the Judiciary Judici-ary and Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, seven in Banking and Currency. There are also six sub-committees for Education and Labor, Veterans Affairs and Public Lands. |