The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-11
The Iowa Warning
Chicago Tribune

(ChlcaEO 1rlDuUeJ
The victory Of Smith Brookhart in
the Iowa primaries is one of those
things that will happen in the best
regulated family. We are sorry for
it because we do not think it is going
to help Iowa, the Iowa farmer, or
the Iowa business man, or the Iowa
workman to have Mr.. Brookhart in
the senate. II is not going To add
to but. on the contratry, subtract
from the ability of the senate to leg
islate wisely, and therefore we shall
be sorry for the senate and the c0un-
try If Mr.. Brookhart Is sent back
to Washington. as there seems not
much doubt he will be.
But, whatever our regret at the
form in which Iowa's discomfort has
expressed. itself, we suggest in ad-
vance of the comment we may ex-
pect in the east that lowa's discon-
tent is shared pretty generally
throughout the midwest and that Mr..
BrOOkhart's vote is portent the
leadership of the Republican party
will do we'll to take seriously and
understandingly.
Mr.. Brookhart was not the bene-
fciary of the best opinion in Iowa.
He profited mainly by what is un-
reasonable and unjust in the farmers
revolt. But when the east attempts
to dispose Of the phenomenon on
that ground-or as the New York
World puts it, evidently Iowa Re-
publicans are a queer lott misses
the significance of Brookhart's sue
cess completely. Brookhart won not
because he is the congenial cham
pion Of the agrarian and labor ex-
tremists, the so-called radicals of
Iowa, but because thousands Of mod
crate men and women felt that their
needs were given little intelligent
consideration and little sympathy,
and that an emphatic and unmistak-
able protest was called for.
There is nothing peculiar about
such a protest. 1t is frequent event
in our political history. It is en-
out logic and practical value. That
is, the highly Organised interests Of
the east, which patronixe US so snug
", will do we'll to understand that
there is a political tide in the west
that is rising, and something is 60
ing to be carried away unless it is
met by something more substantial
than the generalizations which are
offered the west in place of remedial
action. The west is not impressed
with the dogmatic assurance on eco
nomic law which the east expects
us humbly to accept. We have con-
ditiOns to deal with, and we have
little stomach for challengeable
theories which do not conceal Sec
tional prejudices and shortsighted
self-intcrest.
The situation of western agricul-
ture is the result Of several factors.
Some of it's misfortunes are its own
fault, and some are not durable save
by it's own intelligent effort. But we
are quite aware that western agri-
culture is and long has been at q
disadvantage In procuring for itself
such public aid as the great finan-
cial and commercial interests which
are SO powerful at Washington con-
slider their due and are not deferred,
from seizing by any academic theory
OF economies. The west is full Of
fightingN American spirit, and if it
We ito discover that Che east Is in
fallible. The west 10 full OF energy,
and it is generally prosperous as It
deserves to be. But It Is conscious Of
iniustices and It proposes to right
them. Thus far it has lacked the
unity and practical organisation
which is SO striking and 50 effectual
in the east, but u is going to create
them, and 1t will V good fortune
for the country when Z gets them,
for there is nothing 20 important to
the stability and continued progress
3 Of the whole nation than the stability
and spSosperity Of IN agricultural
west and Of western commercial and
industrial interests whose welfare Il
bound up with aeriepltpre.
The best opinion west and east will