Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-06-15

Uncle Sam il an easy-going gentleman frequently
lax 1nSthe discipline which he administers to hia9 efring
ncphews: and snieees4 but. like Cousin Egbert in .Rugsles
at Red GAP he can be pushed inst 30 far The Berg
dolls before their anairss with Uncle Sam. are finally
settled may be able to give q fairly clear definition OF
the location OF this pointsof final pushability-New York
Outlook.
THE ELECTION.
In the Minneapolis city election on Monday the vote
cast was In round numbers. $4,000 for Leach, $4,000 for
Van Lear. with about a dozen precincts to hear from. a
majority for Leach Of somewhere in the netghborhood Of
10000. E ii.
1t seems tncomprehensible that in a city like Mime
apolis, over $4,000 people should be found who would vote.
for a man Of the type Of Van Lear. He is a professed
Socialist. and he has a record of disloyalty during the
entire period Of the war which ought to debar him from
the respect and consideration of every decent American
citizen. No matter what his policies may be with refer
ence to city government, he is not a good citizen of the!
United States. and a poor American citizen lis not good
timber out of which to make a mayor OF any American city.
The fact that he could under any circumstances receive
such a vote is a blot on the escutchson. OF the city OF MIN
neapois. al
It is, Of course, never possible to analyze fully the
considerations which influence $50, 1000 people in casting
tier votes. It goes without saying that there are not
$4,000 Socialists or voters in Minneapolis. 1t is also GER
tain that there are not In that city 10000 disloyal voters
There are some of each class. In some cases the two
Qualities are met in the same individual: not always.
But. we may assume that the vote cast. for: Van Lear
against a clean. reputable candidate who stands firmly
for American ideals and for Nsound principles in govern
ment 10 made up in part Of the votes Of Socialists who
are 80 closely welded to their socialistic notions that they
are careless OF the personal qualities Of the, individuals for
whom they vote; In part, of the votes OF persons who are
actively and positively sdtsloyai. who care nothing for
America or her ideals. whoShave no use for the American
constitution or the American tlasawho were disloyal durt
ing the war and are disloyal stil.s and who would jump
at the opportunity to strike q blow through the use of the
ballot at those principles to which they are aggressively
opposed; and in very large part Of stheAvoters, generally
sore and. disgruntled. those who without being protessed
Socialists and without being positively disloyal. are dis
6a0e0ed with things as they are and desire change and
who are willing to take any means whatever to bring that
change about.
We have seen something Of the same situation In the
city Of Chicago. Year after year Mayor Thompson has
been elected In that city. and year after year until quite
recently he has been able to put over his personal policies
against the strong opposition OF what IL undo ubredly the
cleaner and better element Of that city. His pro-Ger-
man attitude during the war ought to have condemned
him in the eyes Of all Americans; but It had little erect
on his political career in Chicago. This does not mean
that Chicago Is a radical city. or a5pro-German city; but
it does mean that. too many Of the citizens OF Chicago have
permitted nonessentials to enter into their attitude on the
most important matters IN the city life, and this condition
has made then. willing to vote for a man whom theJ
knew to be unworthy in order to express in some manner
their disapprobation Of some individual or some policy
proposed by him.
We have the same kind OF sdtuation in greater or less
degree existing everywhere. There is a decided lack Of
clear thinking on essential things In connection with pub.
lie affairs. Personal preferencess personal dislikes, nos
tions. and theories with reference to things which are not;
really present and pressing issues are permitted by other
wise good citizens to influence theSn in their action at the
polls. Too often men. who intellectually and in matters
Of personal morality ought to occupy positions of leader
ship in their communities become SO engrossed with their
own personal affairs that they are unwilling to make even
a slight sacrifice of time and effort in order that their
duty to the community may properly be performed TOO
often such men ignore public affairs entirely, remaining
away from the polls and permit elections to go by default.
Wherever this condition exists, those who permit their
own Incidence and lack Of public spirit to stand in the way
Of the performance Of their duty, by that fact. dehar,
themselves from the right to criticize whatever other men
may do. It we have bad government. it is too often due to-
the negligence OF those who oughtato be the prime movers
in good government, and 1t seems impossible to condemn
too severely the sloth and negligence which permits men
to assume this attitude Minneapolis Is fortunate in not.
being cursed with another Van Lear administration, but
she is unfortunate in that her really reputable and res;
spectacle citizens have not in sufhcient numbers seen
clearly the issue thet WIS before them and gone forward
with such . vote Of repudiation OF this disreputable man,
that neither he nor any other man Of his kind would ever
come forward again In that city With any expectation Of
popular support