South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-01
FROM THE BEER PARTY TO THE
BARBECUE.


since the passage of the corrupt prac
tees act-and the Terre Haute anC
Indianapolis prosecutions-bOth the
republican and democratic leader.
seem 20 have figured out that the mex
best way OF cementing the rank an1
file" tOgether-with tie emphasis on
the rank. calls for "a barbecue.
We know not which Of the partie.
inaugurated the system, but it is quite
evident that both. through their lead
ership. still regard a considerable
voting population as existent that
must be reached some other way than
by the head. The old saying. not with
out some foundation, that 'the way
TO the heart is through the stomach"
seems 70 have furnished hint-taken
with "a vengeance.
We have been reading OF this sort
OF thing i'm state papers for weeks; at
Gary. at Vincennes. at Indianapolis.
Elwood, Kokomo. and now one has
been scheduled by the republicans for
South Bend The others above men
tween republicans and democrats
with the republicans going the demo-
Gratis one better. but that. perhaps.
merely because the democrats got the
later start. 1t is no question but that
neither expect 10 let the other get
very much the start OF them. The un-
sophisticated are TO be fed. that's Ger
tair Here in South Bend. a slice Of
Andrew Jackson Hickey's steer. and Of
Charles Arthur Carlisle's "equiva-
lent" is counted upon to settle the
whole question, and render the future
solidarity OF the republican party. in
this section. forever unassailable.
OF course, the barbecue is of
higher order Of civilization than the
beer party. and in the evolution of
political intelligence we perhaps
should not expect too much all of
sudden. especially as long as even
high-brows continue to regard a ban
quet" a quite necessary precedent to
feast OF reason and flow of soul"
The barbecue is really naught but
banquet" with the paste boards
eliminated, and back to nature. adopt
ing more of the principle that fingers
were made before forks" Because Of
the fundamental democracy of it. it is
perhaps one OF the most fitting point
ical programs adopted in long while.
or that will be adopted for some time
TO come: that is. until human intelli-
10 cd
that height where appeals to the
stomach instead Of the head are no
longer essential. political activity hav
ing ceased TO be either bibaciOus or
gluttonous at its inception, frequently
as 1t is at present.
It is TO be hoped that one of the
outcomes of the Terre IIaute and IN
dianapous scandals Will be to render
liquor as an incentive to political ac-
tivity so dangerous a proposition. that
no one will ever again attempt TO en-
courage its use for that purpose. We
hope it will establish the barbecue.
and the ante-campaign barbecue at
that. as the only Mountaineering
means of capturing the unthinking
vote. that any politician or political
party will feel safe to tackle.
And this Is said without regard TO
any anticipations as To the outcome of
the trial now on at Indianapolis. Not
liquor alone. but number OF things
enter into that trial. and Mayor Bell
may be guilty or not guilty. but where
there is so much smoke there is usual
" some IRE. and quite evidently fer
mented something or-Other" has fig
ured in the fuel Those who know
anything about politics in Indiana
even South Bend-know that the
days agone both republicans and
democrats have been guilty of all that
is charged against Mayor Bell and his
co-defendants. and that even though
they be not innocent their crime is no
greater than those others who have
done likewise. but whom the officers
have merely failed TO prosecute.
Almost beyond question the Indian
apolis trial is more partisan political,
than an altruistic effort 10 purify
politics The trial is evidencing this
more and more with each passing day.
The democrats. foonshly enough.
passed laws To purify the elections,
then lacking the moral stamina 10 live
up 10 them. have merely furnished the
republicans with the weapons and the
target for teaching the public their
contempt for the weapon by making
a political issue OF the target. That is
about what it amounts TO, but IL is
neither here nor there IN this connec-
lion. The point is that both the par
ties. under various influences. have de-
termined 70 dine rather than wine the
"hoaters' in future. and we are in
troduced 10 the barbecue as the
chosen process.
We viii now have A chunk OF