The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-10-17
THE VESTS GRIM STRUGGLE

Along with about everything, except human nature, political cam
paigns and political parties have radically changed in the last 80 or
torchhght professions excited genuine enthusiasm and excitement. Not
alone with boys but with men of all ages. Packed halls were actual
occurances. They did not have to be created in the well trained i'm
agnahon of some publicity writer 500 miles away, days before the
date OF the meeting.
ing to and the hired speTbinders were better entertainers than some
of the dollar a ticket lyceum lecturers of today. They moved their
hearers, quickened their pulse and sold them the party O. the can.
didate o n the spot With few exceptions the voters went home ready
to take the white strip of paper with a ticket" on 1t, that had been
hansed them, put an x at the top of it and not another mark o. it
and shove it into the ballot box.
The country was younger then. The parties were younger and had
not been led so far away from the original principles O which they
were founded. They stood for definite schools OF craftsmanship ana
fought Tor them. The middle west was then in the development stage
thriving, good natured infants. prosperity Win Occasional pnei SCI
backs, was general through the West. Development compelled it, and
the West was given a fighting chance with the rest of the country
In those old out If date times the parties were satisfied with the
offices, the patronage, glory of power and the honor OF authority,
Gradually this became old stuff, and far too slow. Business became
the big game, and grew bigger and bigger. In othe "orus Julius au
parties became highly commerciaHzed. Principle became principal
and naturally attracted a large amount of interest From that time
the West began to lose her equity in opportunity began u INT nerSel
at a disadvantage. The process was slow because the West "a rug
ged and courageous and long suffering. We were blind to what was go
ing on. When the disparity was finally recognized, and public con
science al slowly awakened to the causes, Agriculture found itself
all but powerless to protect itself-the West did not have the votes
and the money to command or compel respect. The old parties held
MT and still hold out promises of relief New parties have been born
dedicated to the purpose of enthrowning the square deal or ALL, n
died in the effort. Slowly it is being realized that the parties do not
intend to allow the industrial revolution the West must have to regain
justice and parity for the reason that the wrong clemens ae IN con
troll of the parties.
shown forth through the whole history of civiHzauon-the fact that
individual men and women, not closely knitted parties or factions or
gangs, have won for the masses such liberty and equalty a nave
been enjoyed. Such men and women IN ehcouraglng u umpeiS M ~e
still to be found. They are both in and outside of all parties. The
task of the people, especially the electors, is to recognize them and
distinguish the true from the false, the weak from strong In
rank and file of the voters must give more though and study to
politics, and to men and their records in order to be better prepared
to go to the polls and vote for their own interests.
The West with her back to the wall, lighting for her rights and
industrial equality and independence will find salvation only through
accepting the leadership of true mel and women wise Just our
agous, progressive.