The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-08-27

Washington-Out on the Pacific
coast there was nothing like the
shock, even to the investing public,
that was felt back east over Presi-
dent Rooseveltis attitude toward
corporations in general and public
utility corporations in particular.
The public, so to speak, had been
educated up to think that corpora
tons were not mere aggregations
of investors, but cruel inhuman
things which ground down the poor,
exploited labor, corrupted politics.
and poured the profits of it all back
to some mythical gentlemen in
Wall street.
One of the strong forces in so
educating the people along the
Pacific coast in this direction was
a publisher now very anxious to
defeat Mr.. Roosevelt--to wit, Will
liam Randolph Hearst. His clam
ors now remind one OF the story
printed not long after the Versail-
les peace conference. to the effect
that Lloyd George and Clemenceau
having bamboozled Woodrow Will
son, found later they could not "un-
bamboozle' that stubborn Presby-
terrain.
Hearst, in brief, despite the cir
culation OF his papers in Seattle.
San Francisco and Los Angeles, is
having a hard time convincing the
folks that Roosevelt, SO far as the
corporations are concerned, has not
been following the very ideas that
Hearst himself has been preaching.
10 these many years.
In the early days in the political
life of Hiram w. Johnson, he got
his start and rose to leadership
which has hardly been equalled in
any other state by the simple proc
ess of fighting the corporations.
Generally, as a matter of fact,
Johnson and Hearst have fought to-
gether.
Had Experience
So that the voters who were born
and grew up in California have had
q pretty thorough education in cor
poration batting. Their fathers re-
membered the day when the South
ern Pacific dominated the politics,
business, and pretty much every
thing else in the state. They re-
member, and have told the present
generation many times, of the fight
to drive it out, a fight in which
Hearst turned against his own
father, and johnson rose to such
commanding heights that many
Californians to this day do not un-
derstand why he was not nominated
for President in 1920.
They never understood the bitter
ness of the eastern Republicans
against Hiram for what happened
in 1916, when Charles E. Hughes
failed to shake his hand. That the
eastern G. O. P. leaders blamed
Johnson for the reelection OF Will
son did not and does not percolate
out here. Voters are useo to being
independent, and a little bit wild.
Moreover, the big vote is down
in the southern part Of the state,
largely recruited from Iowa, Neb-
raska and Illinois. Originally Re
publican, yes, but intensely pro-
gressive, and just as bitter against
corporations as Hiram and his fell
low veterans in the war to drive
the Southern Pacific out of Califor-
MIA politics.
All Of which explains in part why
this state is generally conceded to
Roosevelt, and is made doubtful at
all only by the possibility that Will
liam Lemke, with the support of
DR.. Townsend and Father Cough
lin, may take enough radical votes
away from Roosevelt to- give Gov
ernor Landon a chance. And from
present indications it is only a
chance.
Oregon Turning "Dry"
Six years ago this writer visited
Portland on a scouting mission.
The quest was to determine if there
was enough wet sentiment in this
Pacific port to justify the Associa-
ton Ag ainst the Prohibition
Amendment in giving some finan-
cial assistance to the Democratic
nominee for congress, Gen. Charles
Martin.
Oregon was regarded as one OF
the dryest states-next to Kansas
in the union. Every one admitted
the state outside Portland was
very dry indeed. The question was
whether General Martin, who be
lieved in repeal. should come out
frankly wet--in which case the as
ISOLATION would help his campaign
fund-or whether he should remain
silent on this issue.
Most of the shreWd political OBJ
servers were conhdert that i
Martin did come, out wet he woulc
be defeated. When this scout lief
Portland, Martin was still hesitat
ing. Later he came out wet, ant
was elected, along with flock o
other wet candidates that year.
was the beginning OF the wet It'd,
that surprised every one, no on.
| a 4ban tho leading vets which