The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-10-15

A sometimes a dyspeptic. but
"A not always. He Is also
sometimes actuated by mo-
EEE tives entirely impersonal
wy 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 "bolters for the purpose Of
olecting ticket which Is supposed to
be better than either Of the oIdlIne
party tickets. Sometimes an ipde-
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 10 make the race on the
ground that he has been deprived of
the nomination by unfair means But
the basic element of independent
movements Is always a claim toward
q bettering OF conditions. and there
fore arguing reform. politically.
Then there is usually the Prohibit
tion movement 10 be reckoned with.
and this Is strictly founded on reform
principles Or there may be an edu-
cetional feature IN the campaign
which viii 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 3 game Of expedlents. and
as the only things that count, in the
last analysis. ara the votes, It follows,
therefore. as the night the day. that
votes are the prime necessities. and
any expedient TO catch votes Is consid-
cred Iustiiiablo.
Other phases of reform politics may
enter particularly into national cam
paigns, and may influence local condI
tions enough 70 swing victory to a
side which may be weaker on paper
than It's antagonist
In every large city and noticeably
in my own city. found two well de-
ffhed types Of the political reformers,
with smatteriEg also Of what were
known as "cr2nks," "dreamers" and
Missionaries" One of the two types
referred TO was the hard-headed citi-
zen who. regardless Of ridicule and dis.
couragement 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 candl-
dates for all Offices, whether state,
county or municipal.
This class Of men accomplished,
with the aid Of decent politicians,
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 they became a force
which had to oe reckoned with, even
by the most hardened uf the bosses"
excepting IN what may be classed as
strictly saloon wards"
In the saloon wards, where the al.
dermen for instance, we're saloonkeep-
ers. or where the saloon influence pre-
dominated overwhelmingly. the boss
es" did not mind reform politics any
more than q rhinoceros would mind
the bite OF a mosquito. l never could
understand, knowing the absolute
hopelessness Of H., why the reformers
would sometimes try to "break into"
such ward in an aIdermanic cam
paign. remember very well the oc-
casion OF gentleman calling on me
and endeavorIng to enlist my services
as a speaker in a campaign OF this
sort.
You know the dIsgraceful condi