The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1935-02-28
Third Party Rumblings

inlrd rarity RumDnngs
Washington. - Certain signs of
transition are appearing in the po-
litical picture. They are becoming
clear enough to deserve attention.
What they may mean in the ulti-
mate can be made only the subject
of a guess-politics being what,
they are-but interesting circum-
stances can be noted as of this day
and time.
Third party rumblings are begin
ing to be heard along the whole po-
litical front. This is noteworthy
because third party rumblings usu-
ally are confined to a few sectors,
some important, some unimportant.
The insurgents, radicals, progress
sives and independents all seem to
be examining the political horizons
of 1896. Roughly, those factions
enumerated have been classified as
the "sons of the wild jackass," an
appellation given them by George
II. Moses of New Hampshire, when
he was filling a Republican seat in
the United States senate. The fact
that they remain and that Mr..
Noses has passed out Of the politi-
cal picture is not the point. 1t
was his description of them that
gave the country its first grouping
of the political factions that have
consistently kicked over the traces
of the major political parties.
The fact that these various
groups are again examining the po-
tentialities and the possibilities of
1886 brings directly into question
the progress made by the New Deal
in its program of reformation or
revolution, depending on The politi-
cal perspective from which you
consider the New Deal.
It is two years since President
Roosevelt carried his New Deal in
to the White House. Much water
has gone over the dam since. Many
experiments have been tried and
many have failed. Doubtless con-
siderable progress Of a satisfact-.
Org form has resulted. Yet, the
"sons of the wild jackass" are
not satisfied. It may be because
Mr.. Roosevelt has ceased to pull so
many white rabbits out of a hat
after the fashion of magician,
that has caused unaffiliated fac
tions SO much disturbance. Or it
may be because the Republicans, as
the opposition party at present,
have been utterly stymied in their
efforts to perform opposition func-
tions that have proved the temp
tation for the so-called left wing
ers to capitalize whatever political
opportunities remain for exploita-
ton,
/ think it is the general conclu-
sion that the New Deal has o t
come up to expectations Of the left
wingers. Perhaps, it might be said
that nothing that the New Dealers
can offer will be quite satisfactory
to the left wingers, for they are
difficult to satisfy. Their fertile
minds are even more productive of
experimental ideas than are the
minds even of the brain trusters,
and no one has ever said brain
trust mind was not fertile. At any
rate, the circumstance is cut and
dried and an abundance of material
for third party awaits us by that
type Of politician.
Observers here agree that one
cannot consider the outlook for
1885, and the national elections of
that time, without considering the
influence that these left wingers
may WELD. believe it is conceded
everywhere that if Mr.. Roosevelt
succeeds in leading the country
through to a higher level of pros
perity than now graces our for
tunes the Republican chances to de-
feat him are very, very low.
Need Hero Leader
The progressives, including such
men as LaFollette of Wisconsin,
Norris of Nebraska and Wheeler
Of Montana, to name only three,
seem to feel that the New Deal
program has about jelled. They
know, as all political observers
know, that there are a good many
hundred thousand votes scattered
around waiting to be cast in favor
of program much more radical