The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-11-01
GAIN IN RECENT ELECTIONS.
Intelligence in the Popular Vote Shows
in the Discrimination of Voters,
East and West Alike.

The primaries and the elections that
have occurred in this country during the
spring and summer Of this year show
not only determination and a national
united purpose, but intelligence. Let us
Illustrate:
In the olden days, when the voters
rose against the evils in the government,
they used to turn en- mass to "the other
party" whichever it was If the Repub-
licans had been in power, and were re-
sponsble for the conditions deplored,
the people elected the Democrats. If it
was the Democratic party that was at
fault, they voted the Republican ticket
Since both parties were corrupted, con-
trolled and openly, obviously used by the
enemy Of the people, these ''landslides"
did no good, and filled hopeful demo
Gratis with despair 1t looked as if the
people did not understand that one party
was no better than the other 1t looked
as if the American people were not po-
litically intelligent.
And this year, when the people were
aroused, the gratis predicted that tAcy
would follow the same old, useless
course, and vote for "the other party
Indeed, they urged, through their organs,
that we make it Democratic land
slide" And the people did that in some
states; notably in Maine and it is like
liz that they will do it in some other
states at the approaching fall elections.
But there is reason for it, as we can
see now, an intelligent, political pm-
pose.
'Landslides' happened only where, as
in Maine, there was nothing better to do.
For it is right in a city or state where
the leaders of II people giTe them no
other choice; where one party is just
as bad as the other. and where neither
has put up ticket and platform for
reform--there is nothing else TO do there
but to throw out the rascals that are
in, and leave the new rascals to the next
election.
But where, as in Wisconsin, Kansas,
Iowa, California and Oregon, the party
responsible for the evils of the nation
had developed local leaders and fac
ton that had fought those evils and put
up tickets and platform promising re-
form-there it would be fatuous TO 60
over to "the other party" And in those
states the people showed at the prima-
ries no disposition to commit that folly.
On the contrary, seeing that the best
hope for reform was in the insurgent
faction of the Republican party, they
backed that faction. The people did.
Not only the Republicans, you under
stand; the Democrats went to the Re
publican primaries, notably in Wisconsin,
and California, to support the Rephbli.
can insurgents. This showed that it
was a general, popular movement. 1t
showed that the people We're looking,
not for chance to throw a brick, but
for party to represent them. And
it showed they were able to see that
the best chance in sight at present for
such party in all the insurgent states
was not in the aristocratic, old Demo
cratic party, but in the very party which
has most betrayed them, the plutocratic,
old Republican party.
Now. this was intelligent II was
much wiser than most OF the expert
newspaper explanations that we saw Of
those elections ! think, therefore, am
not sure, OF course-but / verify believe
that this movement of the American
people is sober, determined, progress
i've step onward toward conscious demoe-
raoy. Frederic c. Howe in the November
Eyerybody's.