The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1926-09-24
@4iito0;QAS.sl
~ no ZSSSZ%
By CHARLES E. TAYLOR -
THE CAMPAIGN OPENS

The season has arrived for the political cam
paign to open.
In fact the general election is little less than
six weeks away
Last Friday night the registration books closed
and those who had not taken the pain to register
before the time closed cannot vote this fall unless
their names were on the lists by reason of hav-
ing voted at the last general election So 1t is now
determined just who will be entitled to participate
on Tuesday, November End, in the choosing of the
next government Of Sheridan county and in the
selection Of the members of the legislature to rep
resent this county in the 10th Legislative session
which will convene next winter, and the two JUS
tees of the supreme court and public service
commissioner, besides member of congress to
serve in the next session which will convene at
Washington on the 4th of March next
This campaign promises to be a peculiar one
perhaps there has never been an election before
in the memory Of those now voting in which the
public so little interest as they seem to this year.
What this apathy omens is the subject of much
conjecture.
There is less and less interest being taken in
the elections as the years go by. More and more
the voters stay away from the polls The num-
Der Of votes cast diminishes steadily At the last
election only few more than half of the voters
took the trouble to register a. choice Observers
are wondering how many will vote this fall
Students are asking if democratic govern
ment is breaking down, CIR whether this indiffer-
ence and stiffness is a calm preceding a politicai
hurricane that is in the making which will rend
the atmosphere Of the future
Time will tell whether it means something or
nothing.
In Sheridan county there is in a way an excuse
for the apathy-there are no issues.
The people of this county are satisfied with the
Farmer-LabOr government. They have reason
to be. They realize that the county is the best
governed county in the state. They know that in
economy and efficiency of administration that it
stands without peer in the state or in the north
west for that matter. They know that the SCI
called moral laws are enforced most effectively.
So the voters Of the county are satisfied
Therefore 2they going to let well enough
alone.
But there is apathy in satisfaction 1t is the fly
In the ointment. Satisfaction leads to taking too
much for granted. The satisfied voter often for
gets about voting. He is sure that his candidates
and party going to win by such big maiorities
that his vote will never be missed and hundreds
are thinking just ne is and acting just the same
The few dissatisfied voter and that element which
seeks change for their own profit are at work
and they and all of their friends will vote.
The hope Of the opposition for victory is found
ed en- the hope for a stay-at-home vote-in the |
overconfidence of the Farmer-Labor forces.
The Farmer-LabOr group has won every election
for the past six years by large majorities A
series OF victories leads to security and overconf
dence and overcOnidence leads to indifference and
laziness and the failure to vote.
Should the Farmer-Labor forces be defeated it
will be the result of this Indifference and over
confidence.
If the voters vote, the party will be returned
to power by the largest majority it has ever re-
ceived in the county-but no political victory was
ever won by the aid of the stay-at-home voter