The Bottineau courant., 1906-02-16
"AnoTnER REPUBLICAN"
Has Something to Say about tho Political
. Conditions.

Editor Coulant: It has been the
observation Of the writer, that certain
ailments to which human flesh is
heir, seem to be epidemic every few
years. and that while the health OF
the community is good for number
Of years in succession. the time will
surely come. when some new malady
will arise. and the hardest and the
strongest Of the race will take it as
we'll az the most weakly and enervated.
Bearing. this fact in mind, one will
see great anomaly, and striking
resemblance in the mental diseases
that sometimes take possession of u.s.,
if disease they may be called. Some
years large proportion Of the people
will repent of the evil and wrong do
ing which has been their habit and
custom, and after serious considera
tion, will find solace and peace in the
bosom of the church. Sometimes it
will take the form of species of
gambling. and old and staid and con-
servative men, with reputation for
good financial sense. will be found
dabbling with the stock market, and
as rule, get skinned good for their
period of semi lunacy. Sometimes it
will be a desire for emigration, and
people will leave their homes where
they are at least surrounded with all
the really needful comforts. and al
though advanced in yeats will be
found on the road to the frontier, to
make a new home amid -ircumstan-
ces and hardships that would ordi-
narily daunt younger and stronger
men.
The true reason for this seems to be
in the fact that the minds of men
naturally run along the same trend of
circumstances, and logically results in
much the same beliefs and acts. There
are always exceptions to any rule, but
in this case. they tend to prove rather
than refute this method of re asonipg.
To this cause, and to this reasoning
can undoubtedly be ascribed the great
cry for political reform that is now
distra citing not only the attention of
the people of this state, but of almost
every state of the union. While in a
manner it. is a mental evil. it will
surely result in good, for the simple
reason that it is teaching the people
to think for themselves. and when
the majority think for themselves,
then it is but short step until they
will act for themselves, and not bow
~own to the beck and call of any mas
ter. be he political or otherwise.
It is surely good sign when the
patient is sick unto death of a fever
conquers the disease, and returns to
sound mind and healthy condition.
when he leaves of hallucinations and
fantasies, and becomes absorbed in the
real and actual things about him. So
also it must be sign filed with hope
for the future. when the people cease
following and become leaders.
I regret to say that taking some
articles into consideration
one will be surprised to find that many
of those that have in the past stood
as political leaders, and who have been
presumed to have their fingers upon
the pulse of public opinion, have in
this instance diagnosed this complaint
all wrong. They say that it is the
old cry of the "outs' who want to get
in, against those who are in and want
to stay If this be true, then why have
we not been threatened by the same
political revolt each and every elective
year, Surely, we have always had
the "out'' that wanted to get ''in, -
and the Gins who wished to stay the
same as we do today. Perhaps they
feel that it is a stain and smirch
upon their leadership, that the people
should ever want anything different
in the way of government, than they
and their fellows have been giving
them. If this be true, they might de-
rive some comfort from the fact, that
when the Almighty attempted to lead
and guide the chosen people out of
bondage into light, freedom and hap
piness, they too set up the roar Of boss
ism and corruption against Moses and
his political followers. You surely
cannot please all the people all the
time, and leader is doing we'll if
he pleases most of them some of the
time only.
But is it political cry raised by
those that are hungry for Office, and
who hope upon the wave Of political
discomfort to ride into favor and fat
holdings7 And all the charges that
have been made in the last few
months, simply the mouthings of
demagogues Are the charges made