Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-06-13
CITY AND COUNTRY.

1t is Tegrettable that there is a dis
position on the part of many thought
less or careless to fan the feeling of
distrust and mistrust that exists be-
tween the city people and the rural
population.
For the past few years the city folks
and the rural communities have been
drifting apart to some extent. Not a
few of the residents of cities appear
to regard the rural guys" and "rubes''
as representing lower class of citi-
zenship. Too many citizens Of the
cities and larger towns have ben in
clined to consider the profits arising
from rural trade as the measure Of
value of the rural localities to the
populated centers.
On the other hand, not a few rural
residents, knowing that they have
been paying tribute to the rapadty of
certain departments of big business,
,sMch as the packing industry, the
steel trust, etc., have failed to differ
entiate between profiteering concerns
and those which are reaping but le-
climate profits.
This growing aloofness has been
siezed upon and magnified by polite
al managers, whose political influence
has ben threatened by an organized
movement among the farmers, until
there is an obvious effort on the part
of political bosses and political news
papers to snpuse the cities and towns
to a high hitch in the hope that the
dominant political party may profit by
the spirit of bitterness and antagonism
that may be engendered against the
farmers movement.
It is Iamentable that such is the
case, for the reason that throughout
the great northwest farming consti-
tutes the foundation upon which the
business interests must rest. Instead
OF becoming separated in thought and
action. there should be unity and CO.
operation
The farmers of the northwest, real
izing that the producers and the con
sumers can be brought into that closer
relationship which shall be profitable
to both only through the elimination
of the market manipulators and other
unnecessary go-betweens, have under
taken concerted political action,
through existing political parties in.
some cases and In other instances by
Initiating independent tickets.
This Is their rightpersonal, polit-
3ical and constitutional. But this
\ course naturally threatens the con-
troll of the dominant political parties
in those respective regions wherein
the farmers are organizing to enforce
their demands AS In the case of the
organization OF the republican party
{ IN 66. the ice-holders and political
bosses are losing no time Id denounc-
Ing the movement as inimieal to pub
lie interests. Men still living dis
timely remember when Abraham Lin
coin was denounced from the house,
tops, as it were, because. at the head
Y IA new political party, he was seek
D ing, It was charged. To undermine the
& very foundation Of good government!
s Ins stead of tanning the fires of bit
terness and hate, instead of calling
3 names and attempting To brand as
disioyal all who do not accept the
die ulal Of political managers. the men
AZ charge Of existing political parties
would serve the interests or the conn
try tar better and thus promote the
/ welfare IF the respective cities and
& towns by meeting the issues In d fair
& and open handed discussion.
- .s ar, Slpjt Ii rf.
spsct to either pol tical 81 economic
d AUes tons. Democrats and republil
20 4 r y esd alnt tprohibi.
ttonistss sun lists and anti-slffrag.
asa are Hin toget her in peace
harmon not Withstand ding their
ees Of OPT hi on along the lines
/ inaica fed hey are doing I'D Because