The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-06-04
TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1901.
A DOUBTFUL EXPERIMENT.

BY a resolution adopted last Fiji
day the Western Labor union decid-
ed to cut loose from existing political
parties and hereafter will constitute
itself a party and asks the support of
all laboring people and others not sat.
isied with prevailing conditions. AS
the philosophical Puddin' Head Will,
son remarked, cts a difference of
opinion that makes boss races" So
is it a difference of opinion that makes
political parties, and the members of
the union have arrived at that stage
where their opinions cen to differ
from those of all Others who are not
members OF the organization and they
politics and try matters their way.
1t is possible that they may succeed,
especially in some Of the western
states, where organized labor is strong
and where the laborlng element is
predominant, but il is doubtful The
experiment has been tried before, not
ably in this state last fall, and the
results were not such as to arouse
unbounded enthusiasm in those who
stood sponsors for the movement.
The men, or some of them, who were
entrusted with the management of at
fairs turned traitors and the labor
party became a mere andendum to
the fusion Wnlcu then eXisteu, but
which is % badly disrupted. There
is no good reason for expecting diff
ferent results the next time. Labor
ing men are not politicians, but there
are lots of politicians who are labor
ing men, Or who pose as such and
they usually succeed in their schemes
of pulling the wool over the eyes OF
the men who toll and who, when too
late, realize that they have been be-
trayed once more and declare it shall
not occur again, but it does.
The very independence OF thought
which prompts laboring men to or
ganize into political parties is usually
the cause of their undoing when the
supreme moment arrives. They re-
fuse to listen to the counsel of those
whom by reason of supposedly super
ior mentality they have chosen as
leaders or who by their W effort
have gained the position. The feel
ing responsible for their secession
from the older and recognized politi-
cal parties prevents them from sue
The moment n of their members
assumes to give advice and asks their
support they begin to regard him with
suspicion and distrust and promptly
turn him down as who thinks him
self better than they or who presumes
to elevate himself where he may train
with the detested "aristocrat.' This
is not a mere assertion, but a fact,
as some worthy men who are mem
bers of labor's army know, and it is
not necessary to go furt.er than Mon
tana to find some of them. Several
well known instances Of this kind
might be mentioned here we're it
thought necessary. Renouncing their
own, they turn elsewhere and before
they know it are following the train
of some demagogue and charlatan
who plays upon their prejudices and
notions and leads them to defeat to
his own profit and ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
AS has been repeatedly said, the
laboring men should not attempt the
hazardous experiment of organizing a
party distinctive of themselves. The
better and more successful way of
gaining reforms and improvements is
for the laboring men to align them.
selves with one of the old parties
which has shown the highest interest
and regard for their welfare and en-
plOy the power their numbers give
probity and honor be nominated for
office and when nominated give them
their support and hold them to strict
accountability for their official acts.
By pursuing a course of this kind they
may hope for better things and for
some of the reforms which every
body comedies are necessary for the
welfare and permanency of the gov
eminent and it's institutions. But
until they do this the old conditions
will continue and the agitators and
professional" workingmen and dema-
gogues continue to grow fat and
flourish and the real laboring man
will be the drawer of water and hew.
er of wood.
Further reports from West Point