“You remember the big boom and the great crash of 1929. You remember that in 1932 the position of the farmer had become so desperate that there was actual violence in many farming communities. You remember the insurance companies and banks took over much of the land of the small independent farmers---223,000 farmers lost their farms. . . .”

“I wonder how many times you have to be hit on the head before you find out who’s hitting you?. . . .”

“The Democratic Party represents the people. It is pledged to work for agriculture. . . . The Democratic Party puts human rights and human welfare

first. . . . These Republican gluttons of privilege are cold men. They are cunning men. . . . They want a return of the Wall Street economic dictatorship. . . .”

“Nobody knows better than I that man for man, individually, most Republicans are fine people. But there’s a big distinction between the individual Republican voter and the policies of the Republican Party.”

“Something happens when they get control of the Government. . . .”

“Republicans in Washington have a habit of becoming curiously deaf to the voice of the people. They have a hard time hearing what the ordinary people of the country are saying. But they have no trouble at all hearing what Wall Street is saying. They are able to catch the slightest whisper from big business and the special interests.”

Was it Obama? Nope. Was it Jimmy Carter? Nope.

Was it Clinton? Nope. Was it Al Gore? Nope.

It was part of a campaign speech given by Harry Truman in September 1948. Not much has changed in the last 64 years.

Sara Dunlap

Brainerd