Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-10-01
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wv and unselfsh. But not al
ways. And reform politics may be
Classed as of two kinds the counter.
felt variety and the genuine.
Independent, or reform movements
in political CAMPAIGNS, are intended to
be the breaking away of members of
the old parties and a consolidation of
these boilers for the purpose of
electing a ticket which is supposed to
be better than either of the old-line
party tickets. Sometimes an indie
pendent movement means this. Some
times it means that a Democrat or a
Republican who has failed of the regu-
lar party nomination has been per-
suaded to make the race on the
ground that e has been deprived of
the nomination by unfair means. But
the basic element of Independent
movements is always claim toward
Il lettering of conditions, and there
fore arguing a reform, politically.
Then there is usually the Prohibit
ton movement to be reckOned with,
and this is strictly founded on reform
principles. Or there may be an edu-
cational feature in the campaign
which will prove to carry the balance
of power as to votes, and which may
be adopted in the platform of either
of the parties. with view to secure
votes for the whole ticket. Politics
is largely a game of eXpedients, and
hp I, Lof H.,
last analysis, are the votes, it follows,
therefore, as the night the day, that
votes are the prime necessities, and
any expedient 70 catch votes is consid-
cred justifiable.
Other phases of reform politics may
enter particularly into national cam
paigns, and may influence local condi-
tons enough to swing victory to a
side which may be weaker on paper
than its antagonist.
In every large city and noticeably
In my own city. | found two well de-
fined types of the political reformers,
with a smattering also of what were
known as "cranks," "dreamers" and
az Missionaries" One of the two types
referred to was the hard-headed citi-
zen who, regardless of ridicule and dis
enlargement, steadily set himself to
work to better the class of official
selection. Without caring anything
for party Affiliations, he associated
with organizations which went
after" weak or unfit candidates, and
supported and encouraged good candi-
dates for all offices, whether state,
county or municipal.
This class ct men accomplished,
with the aid Of decent politicians, a
great deal of good. In the beginning.
like all men actuated by really high
motives, they we're derided and lam.
pooned and their lot, like the police
mans, was not happy one. But as
time went on t,ley became a force
which had to ," reckoned with, even
by the most hardened Of the bosses"
excepting in what may be classed as
strictly saloon wards"
In the saloon wards, where the al.
dermen for instance, were saloonkeep-
ers, or where the saloon influence pre-
dominated overwhelmingly, the boss
es' did not mind reform politics any
more than a rhinoceros would mind
the bite of mosquito. ! never could
understand, knowing the absolute
hopelessness of it, why the reformers
would sometimes try to break into
such a ward in an aldermanic cam.
paign. remember very well the oc
casion of gentleman calling on me
and endeavorins to enlist my services
as a speaker in campaign of this
sort.
You know the disgracefal condi