The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-07-07
Beware the Prosperity Issue

l.
Those who are gluttons for pun
ishment and listened in to the all
night session of oratory punctuated
and saturated with resonant platl-
tudes must have been impressed with
one trend of the nominating and Sec
onding speeches. CllmaXes, banners
and other means of political cajolery
were heavy with promises.
Jobs not doles," read one banner
press on to prosperity with some
body or other read another. Allitera-
tive and attractive slogans hurled
hither and thither were too remi-
niscent of the Kind of prosperity
promises made SO disastrously by the
Republican party.
Democrats should avoid the pitfall
of the prosperity issue. Victory with
specious issues and Understanding
promises would be dearly purchased.
The predicament of the Republican
regime promising in time an aboli-
ton Of poverty shows how dangerous
this kind of political chicanery is.
For the most part, the Democratic
party leaders seem to realize that the
struggle back to normal and more
solid basis is going to be hard and
arduous one. In the heat of political
oratory and partisanship many wild
promises are made in behalf of this
and that candidate but the Demo-
Gratis, if they are wise, will leave the
prosperity issue to the Republicans
who have always waved the flag with
one hand and the full dinner pail
with the other. They still have the
flag.
Voters this year are looking for
something constructive. They have
most definitely drawn the line be-
tween bombast and substance. Most
of them know that government costs
have risen to staggering figures and
there is yet in high places a callous
disregard of the taxpayers rights, 1t
seems in some quarters that the
whole edifice must crumble before
public servants realize that budgets
must be slashed and cut. Only q
meager beginning has been made in
Washington or in the states and
cities of our land. Bureaus still
flourish which serve no other end
than the Unsuitable desire of political
machines for jobs and plumber. 1t
is conservatively estimated by STU
dents of government in this nation
that an average cut of more than %
per cent can be made in government
tai expenditures in every political
subdivision of the land without any
impairment of necessary government
tai functions.
Under the urge of expansion and
initiation Of values during the recent
orgy of speculation and manipula-
ton, politicians seized on the general
hysteria to increase the tax load in
unprecedented degrees. Now the cas-
ties in the air have crumbled and
with that debacle must come a dras-
tic cut in public expenditures.
All parties can we'll devote their
energies to this necessary work and
not seek new slogans and new ways
to deceive and dupe the tax-burdened
and weary electorate.
The blatant prosperity promises of
the Hoover administration have done
more to destroy confidence in the
Republican party than any other
single thing. Unsuspecting persons,
and they number millions, shot their
wad, believing blissfully in what
turned out to be nothing more than
political sophistry OF the worst type.
Leave the chicken in every Dot
the two e2rs in every garage and
prosperity lurking just around the
corner to the Republican orators
Democratic appeal must be made of
more substantial stuff if it is to win
the next national election.