The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-09-22
Editorial
of the Day
MEAL TICKET PATRIOTS.
{ From Ada News)


Ten years in Oklahoma politics and
several campaigns in state political
headquarters have given me line
on meal ticket patriots of, Oklahoma.
1t is not easy to get the names of
all these for their name is legion.
but in ten years time | have be-
come acquainted with an entire bat
TALON of public spirited citizens who
will support any candidate or any
ticket for a cash consideration.
1t may be said that campaign is
formally open when the meal ticket
brigade begins TO knock at the door
Of political headquarters. All OF them
! can deliver the solid vote of town
ship, county or congressional dis.
trict If the organization is interested
in a township, the meal ticket pa
triot is ready to convince you that
the township in question is his pet
stock in trade. II a congressional
district is deemed doubtful, the meal
ticket man is ready to carry that dis
tr!ct horsefoot and dragoon.
The rapidity with which the meal
and align himself with another party
is a real marvel. l remember an ag-
gravated case in 1912. A very am
bilious prospective worker who spec
ialized in forensic appeal to the hon
est farmer and in working on the
spiritual nature of religious camp
meetings was having state itinerary
prepared by the Democratic speakers
bureau when the bureau aforesaid was
chagrined to learn that the ambitious
worker had changed his politics in
the twinkling of an eye and had ac.
cepted employment as a spellbnder
with the Bull Moose organization.
The present campaign is no excep-
tion to the general rule. The meal
ticket man is still working at the
same old stand. Several influential"
Democrats and sprinkling of noted
Socialists have heard the jingle of
the guinea and are publicly praying for
Republican victory in great agony
of soul. Men who have sought en-
ployment at so much per from the
Democratic organization have salved
their grief at being rejected by ac-
| cepting a meal ticket from the Repub-
lean organization and for a few bad.
~ needed dollars have convinced them
selves that there is no balms in the
Democratic Gilead have the undoubt-
cd right TO look for mama in the
desert Of Republicanism. Some of these
are billed to PROFOUND the gospel of
Harding and Harreld from the political
stump Of oklahoma. Some are sched-
ulcd TO make" the various towns and
spread the story of Democratic disaf.
lection far and wide. Some have ac-
cepted positions on the payroll of Re-
publican newspapers and are specialize
ed In playing up the imaginary dis
cord in the Democratic organization.
Some have made goodly rise" from
prominent oil man and are prepar-
ing to publish at the state capitol
democratic" newspaper advocating
the acceptance Of Republican prin-
cipes and urging the election of Re-
publican candidates.
One of the most vocferous Of these
newspaper promoters is polished
Democrat who wears near his heart a
persona! letter from the chamberlain
OF the former kaiser expressing the
kaiser's appreciation of the service
rendered the German cause by the
vociferous newspaper promoter.
The political gyrations of these meal
ticket patriots furnishes the comedy
of every political struggle. The case
with which fhat.
ity to deliver thousand votes with
their urgent need of n dollar and q
quarter Is more comic than ANYTHING
that ever came from the pen of the
worlds greatest comedian. The rec
concentrations they give themselves
and the eulogies they pronounce on
their own oratorical ability would be
astounding II one didn't know the
chief characteristic Of the meal ticket
men.
AND thus 1t is that campaigns come
ana go Issues are agitated but rare
~ settled. the great game of Amerl-
can politics is played to its frazzled
close but the meal ticket patriot. like
certain famous brooklet. goes on
and on forever. In these humid au-
tumn days he is still going good and
before the i.7s of November come
you VIII have seen him in your own
baiiiwick preaching gospel alto
gether new and strange to him but q
gospel that placed money in his purse
ana a meal ticket in his pocket, and
ior that reason he is more than sat-
isfied