The Bismarck tribune., 1935-02-18
Worth Trying

matter herein are also reserved.
Worth Trying
Perhaps no pronouncement Of .
leading American figure In recent
times has attracted more attention
and thoughtful consideration than
the suggestion by Secretary Of Agri-
culture Wallace that the American
people should have q definite means
Of expressing their opinions on eco
.nomic and other policies to be fol-
lowed by their government.
It has met and will continue TO
meet opposition because 1t IS new and
some persons have an instructive dis
taste for any innovation. Still, II the
cure for democracys Ills Is more
democracy, the idea Is worth serious
consideration.
Secretary Wallace's scheme has the
merit Of divorcing policies from per-
sonalities. It would enable the people
to give an opinion on subjects rather
than candidates.
This Is important in view Of the
turmoil into which our political sys-
TEN occasionally throws us. It doubt
less Is unfair to the electorate to say
that It votes for . man because he
has = pleasant voice or IN attractive
manner or because the people like his
looks, yet all these and . hundred
other factors do enter into the selec-
ton Of persons for public office.
A candidate may take positions on
half . dozen different subjects with
only . few Of which the public may
agree, yet he may be elected. either
as the lesser Of two evils or because
the good In his program seems to out
weigh tho bad. In such event the
public Is forced to accept the bad
with the good, since any candidate
elected to office quite naturally feels
that the endorsement is complete and
without reservation.
The best example OF the manner In
which Mr.. Wallace's idea could work
Is presented by the farm situation.
This is natural, inasmuch as consid-
Grafton Of the farm problem brought
the proposal into being.
The question in agriculture is the
same as 1t has been for two decades.
that OF obtaining and maintaining
balance between the farm and in
d,lstry.
Above that but interlocked with It
is the still greater question Of how to
obtain constant prosperity and
much higher level Of living for all OF
the people, both country and city.
Solve the one and We are well on the
way to answering the other.
The question now crying for answer
is whether the United States should
continue It's attempt at adjustment by
restriction and regulation, with all OF
is attendant complexities, or attempt
TO abandon it by trying to open new
foreign markets for our agriculture
products.
This, obviously, Is not q question
5or farmers alone to decide, since the
only way to expand our markets is
to admit manufactured goods from
abroad and such q policy would mean
abandonment Of our high tariff with
its attendant protection for industry.
A great plebiscite on this question,
in which every American would have
q voice, would serve as guide to our
congress and insure q definite policy
without regard to personalities. Ex-
traneous issues which frequently vex
the body polite could be pretty much
ignored. For the first time our 20.
1itical and economic leaders could
know definitely the reaction OF the
people. The influence Of highly vocal
miuorities would be tremendously re-
duced because their pleas would face
an unanswerable argument.
Such things as the money issue, the
relief question, government ownership
and others could be charted In q def.
mite course under such q plan. II It
worked 1t would approach the ideals
which dominate our form of govern.
ment. The reaction Of thinking men
seems to be that 1t Is worth trying.