Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-05
Washington. D. C.. Jan. So
Among the high leaders Of the two

Washington. D. C., Jan. So
Among the high leaders Of the two
great parties which have fought
all our major political. bouts since
the Civil war. there exists . feeling
Of bewildsrment. They ind theG-
selves ON the eve Of another presi-
Dental campaign with nary an is
sue between them. They are about
to fight, and light to the bitter re-
turns-no doubt about that. But
what are they going to light about!
Some people think there Is plenty
to fight about. Labor, for example.
wants government ownership Of
railroads, and 1t wants the govern
ment to reclaim lands and make
farms. There are several other
things it wants. Any party or any
leader that will champion labor'e
demands will not lack something to
fight about. And the farmers think
there are issues, too. They also
favor more government ownership
and control. especially the meat
packers and storage interests. They
are making their desires more en-
phatic and articulate every day.
And the ultimate consumer be-
lieves that the high cost of living
is worth more specific attention
than it has yet received. Amy lead
er who would run on a platform to
make the dollar buy as much as
Is cents bought before the war
could get a certain amount Of back
ing.
All of these various demands
might be considered issues by a
mere amateur in the great game OF
politics. Politicians know better
These things are not issues. in the
partisan political sense; they are
known instead, as dynamite, and
they are labeled keep OFF,"
OF course each of the great party
platforms will contain a few SON
orous phrases on labor, promising
it equity, justice and few abstract
things like that. And each of them
will refer gracefully to the rural
population and promise to solve its
great problems without telling
how; and each will go SO far as
| to admit that it will reduce the
high cost of living, but neither Of
them will offer a specific mustard
plaster for that annoying swelling
And both Of them, inevitably, will
say just about the same things. No
f, gentlemen, there is no issue here
nothing that can be safely
whooped up in the newspapers ant
shouted from the stumps. What
we need is something wholly IL.
relevant and unimportant abou
which we may furiously disagree
Ask any Republican highly plac
ed politically and he will tell yos
that this campaign is to be made
on administrative economy, 0,
Americanism. on law and order
Walk around the corner and but
| tonhole an equally highly PLACED
Democrat and he viii tell you thu
law and order, Americanism, ad
ministrative economy, are to be ih'
watchword of the next campaign.
II the League of Nations is men
toned to good Republican he will
hasten to assure you that thu
League Of Nations and America.
; participation in world affairs arr
rot political issues a Democra
viii give you the same assurance
TO be sure, representatives of thu
two parties are fighting each othel
tooth and nail On the issue, bu
when it is suggested that it b,
thrust into the campaign, all hands
are raised in Quieting admonitioll
! And the old issues Of yesteryear
the tariff, expansion, retention o
tie Philippines, the full dinner pail
turn the rascals out"-all the old
fashioned issues are gone.
So the leaders are beating tn,
bush and are saying, one to tn,
other, We've gotta fight but wha
the dickens are we gonna figh
about?"
And from this situation grow,
the greatest political novelty of tn,
time in the form of committee O
GO carefully selected bushbeater
to go forth in the highways and by
ways in search of an issue. Tn