The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1908-10-02
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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 ID ticket which is supposed to
be better than either of the old-line
party tickets. Sometimes an indie
pendent movenen means this. Some
times II means that n 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 he has been deprived OF
the nomination by unfair But
the basic element of independent
movements Is always q claim toward
u lettering of conditions, and there
fore arguing a reform, politically.
Then there is usually the Prohibi-
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 a view to eel
votes for the whole ticket. Politics
is largely a game Of expedients, and
rs the only things that count, in the
last analysis, are the votes. 1t follows,
therefore, as the night the day. that
votes are the prime necessities, and
any %expedient to catch votes is consid-
cred justifiablo.
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. l found two we'll de-
fined types Of the political reformers,
with q smatteriEg also of what We're
known as "cranks." "dreamers" and
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 candi.
dates for all offices. whether state.
county or municipal.
This class Of men accomplished,
with the aid Of decent politicians, q
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, Ike the police
mans. was not a happy one, But as
time went on they became a force
which had to be reckoned with. ever
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 q rhinoceros would mind
the bite Of a mosquito. I never could
understand. knowing the absolute
hopelessness Of 1t, why the reformers
would sometimes try to break into"
such a ward In an aldermanic cam
paign, I remember very well the oc.
casion OF a gentleman calling on me
and e~ndeavorins to enlist my services
as a speaker in a campaign Of this
sort.
"You know the disgraceful condi.