San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-10
A POLITICAL BUGABOO

John c. Granbery. of the Department
OF Sociology. Economics and Political
Science. Southwestern University. sees
a political prospect. that might we'll give
pause to Democrats and Republicans
alike if only one modifying circumstance
with which it is bound up could be over
looked. In recent letter to the Dallas
News Mr.. CRANBERRY says that perhaps
the most important and significant de-
velopment in the political field within
recent weeks was the calling. by a
conference in st. Louis "for progressive
political action of "a national CONVEX
ton for Cleveland, Ohio, July A."
The principal function of this conven-
ton. the correspondent explains, will
be 20 review The work OF the two major
political parties national conventions,
which will have been held when the
delegates To the Cleveland meeting as
seinble. "Should both parties prove re-
dictionary" Mr.. Granbcrv forecasts 1T
is proposed TO organize a new party
Then he makes an observation which
it might &c we'll to withhold. here, TO
make it more impressive. until his de-
scription of the political prospect OF
which he writes shall have been more
fully considered. Before summarizing
that description. however, it might he
adv.sable-i:kewise for the sake CT I'M
prcssivcncss-:o note that the modify
ing circumstance which discounts the
prospect relates to the candidate whom
the people effectively interested in the
proposed Cleveland convention seem to
have tacitly agreed upon in advance OF
the threatened launching OF their new
party project.
In substance Mr. Granbery says that
in this country's early history the farm
ers, or planters" constituted the ruling
class, and were consequently largely
represented in governmental positions
and that though there are now few bona
fide farmers in Congress, this class COM
prises about one-third OF the country's
population and owns about one-fifth OF
the wealth Counted together. "the
farmers and workers (the latter being
usually called 'laborers''), he goes on,
CONSTITUTE about 80 per cent of our
population
Well, what of it? Mr.. Granbery eX-
plains: Suppose they should get to-
eether::" He means, OF course, the
farmers and the workers. Then he
undertakes to answer his own question
by asserting: That is just what they
are doing What we may expect is
seen in such states as North Dakota
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. The
old parties may be used. as in Wiscon-
sin and Iowa, or discarded, as in Min
nesota. The Non-Partisan League i,
non-partisan in that it is free to nomi
nate candidates on any party ticket
Whether consciously or not, Mr.. Gran
berry has discounted, in previous para
graphs of his letter, the significance o
the new-party movement by observing
up to this time any effort TO unite
the farming and laboring elements fo
political action has met with small suc
cess. The well-known individualism anC
conservatism OF the farmers have KEEP
them from using their political power
= in their own interests. There has alsC
been wanting trustworthy leadership
Note particularly the last sentence
Then consider this assertion. appearing
even earlier in the letter:
.Onlv ono name * discussed or con