Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-10-16
DRIFT OF OPINION.


full for honest counsel-one with an
other,
DRIFT OF OPINION.
For myself, I cannot determine this
question by the merit of candidates
and platforms alone. Platforms change
with each campaign and leaders come
and go. Should we not consider that
| drift of opinion-almost glacial in
! sloWness and ertainty-WherebY the
permanent voting mass in each party
nevitably determines the topography
of our political world? Is there not
n main current underneath the chang
ing surfact eddies, a purpose and ten
dency OF the rank and file voters in
the one party as opposed to the other,
that abides2 If so, which party through
such mass drift, such tendency of it's
permanent rank and file, holds the
better hope for Progressive principles
in the solution of our domestic prob
lens and international policy? The
answer to this question is two fold
first, the character and environment of
the primary voter mass control, and
second, the permanent achievements of
its leadership.
The primary voter mass control of
the Democratic party is in 10 south
ern and southwestern states and in
the industrial cities OF the nation. The
fixed southern control of the Demo-
cratic party is individualistic in it's
thinking. sectional in its sympathies
and inherits a tradition against com
mon labor as serVile. The social or
ganization is still semi partriarchal in
the rural communities and the south
ern environment presents the maxi
mum of natural and cultural resist
ance to necessary social and industrial
J standardization. The Democratic pri-
mary voter mass control in the indus
trial cities is the most heterogeneous
of our national groups and the excess
sive pressure of living and in lustrial
conditions renders it the most fertile
field for boss control in the service
of selfish personal and corporate in
! terests
The primary voter mass control of
the Republican party is in the rural
communities of the central western
and New England states. This group
represents the highest literacy in
America. is freest from severe social
and economic pressure, is in the zone
of the greatest natural tendency to in:
dustrial Standardization and equality
of opportunity, and inherits the ira
dition Of Lincoln and the men who
saved the union.
THE RANK AND FILE.
The Republican party-though often
dominated by the masters of special
privilege and made by them the in
strument of vast exploitation-has n
rank and file of men and women who
have proved their capacity to reject
false or dishonest leadership. Con-
ceived in moral revolt against human
slavery, it was born, baptized and
nurtured in the supreme national
struggle to maintain the national heri-
tage and fulfill the promise of equal
opportunity to every citizen. Is Ifot
it's rank and file best calculated 10
support leadership that will create
a national mind and conscience, and
having preserved the integrity of the
nation against the heresy of secession,
will it not develop and maintain a
progressive national program of So
ciai and economic organization?
Let us now turn to the test of ac-
tual achievements in progressive leg
islation and administration. The frcest
and most progressive state in this
Union is California. Eight years age
1t was a rotten borough and had been
under shameless and corrupt corpora =
ton and boss control for a generation
Twenty years ago able and honest pro-
Gressive Democrats were fighting in
that state for reform. They led in the
education of the people but the rank
and file of the Democratic party re-
fused to follow their leadership. How
was the actual deliverance of Cali
fornia achieved? BY the rank and file
of the Republican voters under tho
leadership of Hiram w Johnson. The
second freest state in this union is
Wisconsin. Twenty years ago the
brewery ring of Milwaukee and the
railroad ring of Madison controlled
that state. Which party redeemed
Wisconsin The rank and file of the