The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-11-18
UNREAsoNING PREJUDICE.

There is an old story of an Irishman
who had just landed in this country,
who on being asked as to his politics
admitted that he knew nothing what.
ever about the parties "but that he was
agin' the government anyway"
While we may smile at this naive
expression, yet after all it is indicative
of one of the characteristics of human
nature.
1t is one Of the deep-seated and most
obscure motives in the human heart
and yet not little Of human action is
controlled by this feeling Of opposition.
Without attempting to make psy.
cological study of this obscure but
powerful trait, moments thought
will bring up examples to anyone who
will take the trouble to think that long.
Jealousy, obstinacy and fear are the
three principal ingredients of this
motive, but one of the curious things
about it is, that few people will &C
knowledge that they personally are
governed IN any manner by such feel
ings. They are very certain that many
others are so governed however.
The results of this motive are recog-
nized on every hand. From the big
city down to the little village there are
always lot of men who sit around and
knock at every new thing as we'll as
some of the old ones. They have no
real reason except the general spirit of
opposition.
In political parties, the same kind of
individuals abound. With these
kickers no politician can be an honest
man, and every new proposition is only
q road to some kind Of graft. The
leading men Of each party are q ''ring''
and any man who stands above his
fellows in ability Immediately becomes
"boss" to these gentlemen.
This sort Of kicker-knocker feeling
was strong factor in the late county
seat election. We are sure that several
hundred people in this county voted
against Pembina with no other real
motive than that they chad it in for
Pembina."
These people could not give real
good reason why they had the prejudice
against this city. Indeed one man went
so far back to get reason, that he
said that when he came to the country
in 1881 or thereabouts, the hotel was SO
crowded that he had to sleep on the
floor one night. We believe that very
many had exactly the same kind O;
prejudice with no better season.
incidentally, this feeling Of enmity
to this city has been assiduously cul-
tivated, particularly among people Of
the west. The boys and girls have
been brought up to hate Pembina.
After almost every election it has
been necessary for newly elected officials
to come to Pembina to live. We who
A0S0 lvO43 nCI0ts AuOWs tu0t u16u Y Oh
these officials have come to this city
with the utmost reluctance having q
sort Of indefinite but fixed idea that
somehow Pembina was 8 place to be
avoided as place Of residence except
as necessitated BY official duties. In
most cases We are pleased to say that
after becoming better acquainted they
have thought differently, and il. some
instances have concluded q remain
here Alter their term q ONCE has
,s,1pired s
AImost sssry candidate for political
omos who liysd in Penn In H. 1T tho
slIsotss @ this whsa ont On
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