The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-06-03
The Ills of Political Flesh

~ us OF politics and politicians re-
Ulas the fact that this game and
Sc who play 1t is subject to ills
ch most of us escape.
Grlthough presumably of, for and by
GAP people, politics is SO much thing
ganlut that 1t even has a separate
tovnp ner of speaking. This is typified
at Irwin Cobb's declaration that every
towrduate politician views with alarm,
intehts with pride and states without
"o ri of successful contradiction"
sion he modern practitioners of the art
farrwheedling our votes are not so OBJ
o1ti'us, OF course, but the effect is the
o,t ne and political bombast we have
courays with us.
At does seem, however that the po-
ca lcal brethren could we'll discontinue
thae of the practices which has grown
wou with time and which continually
bursults the intelligence of anyone who
tneves it thought. This is the habit of
tempting to defend every public act
II per cent perfect.
One could cite any number of in
ances as proof, running the gamut
ON president of the United States
~ justices of the peace, for this i'll of
he political flesh seems universal and
durable.
In the coming national campaign
shall see President Hoover and his
)horts defending, or attempting to
efend, every single action of the pres
Mt administration. Unless he runs
-ontrary to the accepted rule, every
ct will be presented as 100 per cent
-erfect.
Probably, if We elected dog catchers,
nle should have incumbent candidates
living vociferous explanation as to
sthy they took up Robinsons purp and
Sailed to impound that of the Smiths.
A peculiar fact about this political
disease is that those who are afflicted
.,y it take pride in the fact and insist
kpn making it known to the world.
P We need go no farther than our own
S~5tate campaign.
L Addressing Burleigh county I. v. AS
Recently, Governor George F. shafer
announced that he would, in due time,
oanswer all charges that have been or
may be levelled against his admins
7tration, not because they deserve rec
1ognition but merely in order that the
electorate might know that every Of
ficial act of his redounded to the
credit of North Dakota and the bene-
Tit of its people.
One need not 60 into details to
demonstrate the pitfall into which
this political infirmity has led the
states chief executive. It is sufficient
to remark that, if this is true, it is the
first case of human perfection record
ed in many, many years.
Business and professional men and
others of marked talent and ability
claim no such 100 per cent average
Thomas A. Edison, whose inventions
added IS billion dollars to the wealth
of the nation, confessed many times
that he had found certain of his ideas
erroneous and was compelled to try
again. One wonders if Edison's brain
was, after all, so much inferior to
that OF our political officeholders or
whether he had more pronounced
trait Of mental honesty.
In business and other pursuits, one
frequently hears distinguished men
admit that they may have been slight
ly in error on certain occasions. It
is not unusual to hear competent
man say, ut looked like the thing to
do at the time and thought it would
work out all right, but I was disap.
pointed"
But this is seldom true OF political
officeholders. Either they never make
mistakes or they cannot permit them
selves the solace Of that confession
which Is said to be so beneficial to the
soul. II they are not 100 per cent
perfect, at least in their own minds,
they are nothing.
And therein the rest of us have
cause for rejoicing. What . tragedy
It would be for the rest OF Us inaper-
feet souls Il these paragons Of GER
lection were to retire from their cfo-
sen profession and enter into competl-
ton with us. Truly, 1t would be more
than most Of us could bear.