Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-08-31

Il think all of us appreciate the
importance OF political campaigns.
have come to believe the
are very essential. Il Is not essential
to elect officers, but il is essential to
have campaigns during which the is.
sues before the people may be dis.
cussed.
Correct you are" shouted an en-.
thusiastic listener from near the front
of the hall.
III we continue To bc a great gov
erning people. We win study state.
craft. We"
Suddenly Secretary Shaw's glance
rested upon two newspaper men who
had begun to take his speech. He
stopped. and, producing copies of a
manuscript. walked 10 the end OF the
stage.
Humor Of the Secretary.
Il see the newspaper men are here, ("
he said. Now this is the speech |
want printed. II may not be what |
say, but it is what ! wante printed. -
The secretary laughed as he handed
over the copies Of the speech. and the
audience, appreciating the humor of
the situation laughed, too. Incidental
ly. II may be said that the speaker
followed his typewriter address close
ly as far as the manuscript went, but
he added to his speech and touched
upon many subjects that originally
he had apparently not expected 10 re-
fer 10.
Continuing Secretary Shaw said:
Importance Of Campaigns.
Perhaps few OF us recognize the
importance OF political campaigns.
Neither mathematics. nor science. nor
statecraft are among The natural in
tuitions of the human mind. They
must all be acquired And about the
only time that the American people
study statecraft is during a national
campaign. Self-goyernment is the
hardest task ever yet undertaken by
man, and ii the American people con-
tinue a self-governing and self.govern-
ed people It will be because the rank
and file study the science of self-gov-
ernment. You insist that your rep
resentatives in congress shall under
stand the propositions before the con-
gress, and you demand that they so
vote as to best conserve your inter
ests. am here insisting that you
at the polls shall 80 vote as 10 con
serve my interests. am here 10 de-
mand the same character If not the
same degree of statesmanship at the
polls as you demand on the floors OF
legislatiev bodies, staie and nation
al.
Politics is not a squabble for of.
fee. Politics is the science of self
government. The issues OF a cam.
paign do not have their beginning
and ending in the election Of men to
office Candidates are usually accep.
table men. The issues of campaign
are between measures. not between
men. A political Iarty must be some
thing more than aggregation Of Of
flee seekers. political party ought
at least TO represent some principle
Of self-governmelt, and IL ought 10
stand for the same principles Of self
government continuously.
Great Political Rivals.
For half century the Republican
party and the Democratic party have
been rivals in seeking the suffrages
of the people. To the extent that
they have sought the suffrsges of the
people in support Of the principles
and economic ideas taught by them
they have been In the truest and best
sense political parties; but 10 the ex.
tent that they have sought the suf.
frages of the people for tire emolu.
ments OF Office or for The honors OF
political supremacy they have been
aggregatiOns of demasoSsses and un.
worthy of the sunrages OF anybody.
Il never indulge but one criticism
Of the Democratic party. ooncede
that some of the highest minded,
some of the best educated, some OF
the most patriotic, and some 6 the
best men in the world disagnee with
me politically I neve. allow myself
TO quarrel with them. But for some
withou, indr,,i,g this criticism
meyer ,,arl,s /, hnwtrsr withou,
exn,a,r;na ,s., n .nwms when lam
through. will say to me frankly. ]
mine, .nd unsynarv1ed nv facts
them IiI, reyer indu1y< 4, apain
Nv cyi,ic,.m is ,bis. "A seems m ms
tba, the Ie.ders of the Democratic
marty are .yercisiny mone anxiety to
discover an is.ne gr vbifA to win q
camnaiy, ,hac in forwnlstir ing wise
no,icv Sor the mana eement of ,he rcy.
eTnment ate, ,her nav won tSeir
camnaiep have ,t.ses this cyiti.
cism An = soore of sfs,es ana I have
neve, hs.,d n. iustice cuextsoned
-,. A.. ,-,.-.-,.
.Peo"e,. wa
II time would perhih ! SouIo oe
glad 10 review each and every cam
paign since the orgahizaion oil the
Republican party. and ] think ] would
be able to show that In each and er-
IRA a ztsrsa l.