The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-01-15
Chickens to ROOst
(New York Times)

There has been wide comment in
spirit of fair play, upon the injus-
tice of holding President Hoover re-
spor1sible- for the ills which have be-
fallen the country under his admin
istration. Many letters have come to
The Times endorsing a recent edi-
torial in protest against the habit of
holding him accountable for every
thing that has happened since he be-
came president. No one could have
| worked harder than he, or with more
Intelligence, in trying to right the
mischiefs and misfortunes of the past
two years. Yet it has to be admitted
that whenever and wherever the mat
ter has been put to the practical po-
liticai test, the popular verdict has
been against the president. This was
notably the case in the special con-
gressional elections in New Jersey
and III New Hampshire. In both OF
them the Republican candidate stood
as defender of the Hoover admins
tration, but both the districts, for
merly Republican by overwhelming
majorities, were carried by Demo-
Gratis. In the face Of the demonstra-
ton even so staunch a Republican
newspaper as The Herald Tribune
declared that. unless there was some
way of freeing the president from the
handicap of his former position in
upholding prohibition, 1.-The case is
hopeless"
In all this, Mr.. Hoover is less dl-
rectly concerned, except as respects
his personal fortunes. than is the Re-
publican party. To the extent of his
agreement in 1928 with. the doctrines
and predictions of that party, the
president cannot escape his share Of
the current popular reaction, so adj
verse to him and to Republican pros
poets. But it is really an old story,
which began long before his public
! career. One of his predecessors in
the white house, william Mckinley,
was nominated and elected precisely
as "the advance agent of prosperity
On that theme Republican orators
have descanted ever since. They have
described themselves as the party of
the full dinner pail" Republicans
have identified themselves with every
! development and invention and move
ment for the betterment Of workmen
! and the middle classes-up to the
point when, four years ago, they
| were almost pledging themselves to
| give everybody, not a chicken in the
pot, but two automobiles in every
garage, and wound up with demand
on the voters for gratitude and sup
port, as the one and only party that
could guarantee the pcrnanence Of
such material blessings lin wicSst
commonalty spread"
! This was plainly from the first q
| policy Of class legislation. It also
| smacks of state Socialism. The tacit
promise was to pour out and make
| always secure blessings from tht
fountain Of Republican government
at Washington. It Is not. then. po'
littcally unjust to blame the Repub-
lican party for defaulting on its prom.
/ ises to the voters. Doubtless thoss
promises never should have beer
made. They were opportunist ane
tricky and tnsincere. But for Ions
time luck ran with their authors
President Mckinley blandly remarked
after his reelection: Il have observed
that najorities rise with prosperity
i Why bitterly complain when the.
4 fall with adversely?
i What we are seeing now Is q Sc
Of Republican political devices re
turning to plague their inventors
/ This Is inevitable.