The daily tribune., 1908-11-17
NATIONAL CAMPAIGN.
\ nation


A national election has come to be
in sense like All internal revolution.
Putting = party entrenched in power
out is like overturning dynasty.
The great mass of people are not in
close touch with the contest. The
ordinary citizen has not the faintest
conception of the meaning Of an cleo
tion nor has he but q limited know.
ledge Of the meaning Of law The ma.
tional campa'g gn is battle, and every
available influence is used by each
buted over the country; great cam.
paigners are sent to speak wherever
shev can do the most good; and avery
means is brought to influence the
people in the casting of their votes.
The man who is at the head of the
campaign and plans and directs the
work is like general directing the
movements of his army. One great
thing that is not generally under
stood among the people is that the
wealth and property of the individual
and man in the aggregate is more de-
termined by government than any.
thing else. This makes the govern
ment the silent and important partner
in every mans business, whether that
usiness be running railroad maga-
zine, or plow. The majority of
men who cast vote do not know that
politics have everything to DO with
their personal affairs; but the cap.
tains Of industry all realize the truth
and strive to have the government a
friendly partner in their business
Every body, Of course. is interested in
the problem of getting food, clothing
and shelter. but very few people real
ize that the laws Of the government
have more to do with that problem
than the individual himself has; that
laws more than labor determine how
much of this worlds goods any man
is able to accumulate. Laws more
than any economy measure success or
failure because the laws fix the chan
nels through which flow the fruits of
the earth and the products of the soil.
The laws. of course, do not change
the production Of things. but laws
practically control the price of things
produced by labor.
Not one per cent of the earnestness
and determination with which the
national campaign is conducted by
the real motive force. Is due to a de-
sire to hold Office or to have office.
The real impelling motive is the de.
sire to control the resources of the
wealth Of the nation, which power is
inherenting government.
Political parties have gained great
power. Parties make presidents and
under any system will continue to
make them. Many people look upon
q political campaign rs a matter Of
bargain and sale. To some its cal.
culation Of " hat money can do by
hiring workers, voters and judges and
what they in turn receive by the sue.
cess Of particular party.
Others look upon the election of
president from high plane and love
Of good because they have desire to
perpetuate representative government
and protect the helpless from the
grasp OF selfshpess and to have laws
that are just. Is 1t not true then that
the political safety valve Of a nation
is in the hands of the peopley II man
has privilege given him by the
right Of suffersge, then It is for the
individual to do his share toward
purifying and keeping pure the
sources of actual power of the land in
which he lives and whose privileges
and protection he enjoys. - The
Housekeeper.