The Ordway new era., 1922-11-17
WILDER's SPOTLIGHT

In column headed. "The Spot
light" in the Pueblo Chieftain of
Sunday is clever summary of the
recent election as written by Walter
L. Wilder, editor of the Chieftain
His comment is as follows:
A kindly but inscrutable Provi-
dence moving mysterious its wonders
to perform has nothing on the equ-
ally inscrutable but not at all kindly
American voter. when in the sacred
silences Of the voting booth he turns
his scatter-gun, the headless ballot,
upon sundry persons and things then
and there visible upon the political
horizon, and cuts loose with dire re-
suits, sometimes to himself and al
ways to other people.
There was an election last Tuesday
but il any one has evolved any con-
sistent theory as to why things hap
pened as they did. that theory has
not reached the Chieftain office. All
we know is that they happened.
Before election some people of the
Democratic persuasion (what | mean
is, some people who persuade them
selves that they were Democrats yot-
Ing for Democratic candidates had
a theory that the American people
had gone sour on the Harding admin
istratlon, and that the Republican
party was going to get 1t where it
would hurt the most.
Others we're certain that the wage
slaves had at least found the Moses
who was going to lead them thru the
Red sea and into the promised land,
where they would live on grapes and
honey and have sweet time forever
after.
But when the armistice was signed
on the evening of election day. 1t was
found that the people had reelected
three Republican congressman, and
one Democratic congressman, which
was sure one jazz way of throwing
the gloom into a Republican admins
tration.
And as for the radicals, having
elected redeemer for social 1nJus-
tice they calmly proceeded to tie MS
political hands so that he couldn't do
a thing except kick for the next Two
years, even If he wanted to To the
senate, assurdly Republican. the vot-
ers sent a mandate to sit steady in the
boat and take no orders from any
body. They elected house of rep
resentatives SO evenly balanced thao
a single voter in the remotest precin-
ct of the smallest county OF the state
NAV have the balance of political
power.
They elected q Republican as lieu
tenant governor. another as secre-
tary of state and strengthened the
hold of Republicanism and conserVat-
ism upon the supreme court by ell
acting Judges Campbell and Sheafor'
men of the highest character and apil-
,tv and beyond any suspicion of rad
ical ideas.
Most of them apparently 1orso'
that there were any opposition can
didates running against Harry Mui-
nix and Arthur Stong. but to snow
impartiallty they oKed Mrs. Brad
ford and KOed Miss Craig with
charming grace and as parting tok-
an of affectionate regard presented
the Democrats with perfectly ioVely
regency In the state university.
And last of all as climax at the
end of a perfect day of political en-
tbusiasm and delirious inconsisten-
cies they calmly and soberly examined
10 perlexing and complicated ameha-
ments and initiated laws and gave a
verdict that was absolutely sane anu
logical in every particular.
All which reminds me OF the
frontier Sunday school class where
the teacher asked them what was
meant by "the salt of the earth. .
And one said 1t was the love OF GOO
and another said she thought 1t mean,
hell-flre and the teacher said tna'
vhatever 1t was It ought to be
warning to US, and that's what
think about this election. .-.-