The Washington times., 1922-10-24

- . Street and whers
WILLIAM HARD the Republican
Na'T- ,.>5 ....a candidate get
called an agent of Lenin. Here the
two parties are able to call each
ether their regular and accustomed
names Just as laid down In all cam
patgn textbooks. sr..s 20
The Republicans here are back In
their old position as the party of
the great interests-according to
the Democrats. And the Democrats
here are dangerous-according to
the Republicans.
But there are two terrible com.
plications. The first >is the Repub-
hcan governor Of this State, Joseph
M. Dixon. He was elected TWO
years ago by the earnest efforts Of
alarmed and indignant conservatives
who rallied to his side against the
demagoguery of the Democrat can.
didate, who was none other than
the same b. X. Wheeler. who 8
now running on the Democratic
ticket for United States Senator
The conservatives. including many
Democratic conservatives, saved the
State from Mr.. Wheeler and gave
II to Mr.. Dixon. Among these con.
servat.ves were notably the repre-
sentatives Of Montana's distinguish
Cd copper mining interests.
II now appears, however, that
Mr.. Dixon is himself no better
tfian demagogue. He is endeavor.
ing to raise the taxes of the copper
mining interests. He is endeavor.
ing to pass legislation for that pur.
pose. He Is at this moment tn.
80 n
which will pass legislation specifi
cally for that purpose. He seems
likely to succeed. He Is extremely.
an accomplished political person:
The prospect Is that the taxes OF
the copper mining interests wy ba
raised by a Republican governor and
n Republican legislature. 80
=
In these circumstances there is
q distinct waning Of enthusiasm for
the Republican party here In circles
best able to interpret the feelings
Of the copper mining interests. In
fluential gentlemen In sudh circles
are hesftating to give an ardent sup
mort to the Republican candidate for
the United States Senate because
they fear that such support might
incidentally and additionally lend
momentum to the local legislative
slectioneering efforts of the Repub-
ican governor. This is a compltca-
tion. The other complication is more
trifling, but even more annoying, =.
The principal charge against B. K.
Wheeler Is that when he ran for
governor two years ago he was sup
ported by the Nonpartisan League
Riddick - stalwartly running for
United States Senate as a candidate
!. OF q blameless Republican party
is making 1t perfectly clear in his
Z campaign literature that he himself
n quite above the idea Of getting
any support from radical and dis
loyal elements. 1t has been shown,
i. however, that Riddick was once
member of the Nonpartisan League.
The other night / met a gentle
man with long white beard who
inducted Mr.. Riddick into the Nom
partisan League in 1917. Mr.. Rid
dick then was a county assessor
He had come here from Indiana.
Coming here, he had gone to farm.
ing for a short time. He soon gave
II up, because in Indiana he had
been secretary Of the Republican
State committee, and when he saw
that Montana contains politics as
well as farming he leaped into
politics. -. =.
He Is good at 1t. He Joins. or
ganizations. The Nonpartisan
League was an organization and he
Joined 1t and went about with the
gentleman with the long white beard
making strong farming speeches to
farmers. Now the Montana news
papers which wish to be malicious
toward him print reproductions of
his Nonpartisan League member
ship card signed by the wicked name
Of A. A. Townley.
The fact Is, Of course, that from
the standpoint Of the command.
ments and the Declaration of In
dependence, the Nonpartisan League
was a perfectly innocent organiza.
ton when Mr.. Riddick Joined Il
and Is still q perfectly innocent or
ganization. 1t simply has certain
IDEAS about public ownership OF
one thing and another that Mr.. Rid
dick and conservatives generally do
not care for. Mr.. Riddick's diff
Guilty Is that he not only has
ceased TO care for these IDEAS. but
has seemed to intimate that they
imply some sort Of moral turpitude.
In spite Of this difficulty, how
ever. Mr.. ,Riddick Is an excellent
vote getter. Montana contains only
two Congressiona. districts. Mr.
Riddick has been representing one
Of them IN Washington. He car.
ried Il year before last by more
than thirty thousand. The other
district 10 normally Democratic. Mr..
Riddick. might lose II heavily, and
yet by his strength In his own dis
trict. he might get to the Senate.
c. U. Alumni to Elect.