St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 30

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Founded by JOSEPH PULITZER December 12. 1878 EDITORIALS 2C i. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 1 1 988 Wretched Campaign Excesses THE POST-DISPATCH PLATFORM I KNOW THAT MY RETIREMENT WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE IN ITS CARDINAL PRINCIPLES, THAT IT WILL ALWAYS FIGHT FOR PROGRESS AND REFORM. NEVER TOLERATE INJUSTICE OR CORRUPTION, ALWAYS FIGHT DEMAGOGUES OF ALL PARTIES, NEVER BELONG TO ANY PARTY, ALWAYS OPPOSE PRIVILEGED CLASSES AND PUBLIC PLUNDERERS, NEVER LACK SYMPATHY WITH THE POOR, ALWAYS REMAIN DEVOTED TO THE PUBLIC WELFARE, NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH MERELY PRINTING NEWS, ALWAYS BE DRASTICALLY INDEPENDENT, NEVER BE AFRAID TO ATTACK WRONG, WHETHER BY PREDATORY, PLUTOCRACY OR PREDATORY POVERTY.

JOSEPH PULITZER April 10, 1907 What George Bush Must Now Address Seattle Post-Intelligencer George Bush attained the pinnacle of his political career with a sweeping victory over Michael Dukakis. ,7, All citizens now must hope that the to public funding as a Supreme Court ruling has said they must be would once more make challenges to incumbents possible by candidates from other than the wealthiest segments of society. Bills intended to achieve this were defeated last term in both chambers by opponents who labeled the approach an incumbency protection plan. After Tuesday's election, however, with the odds so obviously stacked against challengers, it is difficult to see how any reform could favor incumbents more than the present process does. Finally, there are independent expenditures.

An especially sleazy example was the damaging television ad featuring inmate Willie Horton. The ad, produced by Americans for Bush, also known as the National Security Political Action Committee, was officially disavowed by the Bush campaign but just three days before it was to stop running anyway. Americans are right to be disgusted, but as things stand, this and other independent campaign expenditures are beyond the reach of the law. What can be done? Independent groups have a constitutional right to express their views, and that must not be breached. However, Congress can and should cut off their access to the airwaves, perhaps by limiting television political ads to those paid for by candidates' official campaign organizations.

Better yet, Congress could emulate the British, who give major candidates television time but ban paid TV ads. That approach would have a twofold benefit: Overall spending would be cut dramatically, while the preoccupation of candidates with sound bites and messages of the day might wane. It's a radical proposal, but without it one can only despair of the possibility that campaigns will ever become more substantive than the dismal ones of 1988. Reforming campaign finance laws is much like trying to grab hold of a fistful of water. Nonetheless, after a campaign season that swamped the airwaves with expensive ads whose content bears only a coincidental relation if that to the truth, urge to consider ways to improve the present system cannot be repressed.

Presidential races are the only ones on which public money is being spent. In return, the presidential nominees are supposed to limit strictly their own fund-raising. Yet both the Republican and Democratic candidates outdid each other in raising funds this year. Technically, the rfioney did not go to their own campaign but to organizations that spent it on boosting the national ticket. These organizations chiefly the Victory '88 Committee of the Republicans and Campaign '88 for the Democrats are a transparent legal ruse, but enough to satisfy the see-no-evil Federal Election Commission.

One can hope that George Bush will appoint a more energetic FEC. Nonetheless, Congress can and should pull the plug on the parties' money-laundering machines. At the level of congressional races, there are just as many abuses. Donations from political action committees usually come in for greatest criticism, though they are only part of the problem. A PAC can give a total of $10,000 to candidates ($5,000 in the primary and $5,000 in the general election), but because there are so many of them, they provide candidates overwhelmingly incumbents with a virtually limitless source of campaign funds.

To take but one egregious example, Mis-' souri's Sen. John Danforth raised, as of Oct 19, $1.2 million from PACs; his opponent, state Sen. Jay Nixon, raised less than of that. from PACs. Sen.

Danforth's fund-raising was perfectly legal, but the ethics of it are perfectly awful. Overall limits on campaign spending tied MIRROR OF PUBLIC OPINION new Republican president-elect will succeed in fulfilling his campaign promises, to seek a "kinder, gentler nation" and to build upon the best elements of the Reagan years. The negativity of the campaign must be replaced by positive commitments to raise the hopes and opportunities of those who have very little of either. As Gov. Dukakis put it in his gracious concession speech, every citizen must become "a full shareholder of the American dream." Chicago Tribune George Bush must swiftly put the uglier moments of the partisanship behind him.

That should come naturally to him. Except for his brief run in recent weeks as a tart-tongued political infighter, he's been a lifetime model of style and class. An Ounce Of Prevention A Civil-Rights Watershed tion establishing federal day-care standards. The same legislation should also provide primary funding, with the states encouraged to put up matching funds. The time for direct federal involvement in the solution to the child care problem is overdue.

We can no longer afford to squander the future of millions of our children. Barbara R. Neimann Frontenac A virus that swept through the Arpanet computer network has brought with it the usual front-page headlines about computer Armageddon. There are many myths about viruses, and the media are only helping to create more. Time magazine and The Associated Press are just two of the many news agencies that have made gross technical errors in reporting about viruses.

Then there are some self-styled "virus experts" who grab media attention by spouting bizarre quotes for hungry reporters. It's true some viruses will destroy the data Surprising as it might seem, St. Louis used to be as segregated as a Southern town; a place where the sight of blacks eating at lunch, tounters or working in white-collar jobs in industry was rare indeed. That things changed when they did is due in no small part to demonstrations, organized in 1963 by the Congress of Racial Equality, to boost employment and other' opportunities for blacks. Many of those who participated will be honored tomorrow at a dinner commemorating the 25th anniversary of this watershed event.

The group targeted Jefferson Bank Trust asking it to hire blacks to fill four teller positions. The bank balked, and the demonstrators conducted boisterous sit-ins and persisted in spite of a court order banning their protests activities. Nineteen were jailed, some for many months, for disobeying the court order. Those taken into custody include now familiar names: U.S. Rep.

William Clay, Norman Seay, Ray Howard, Charles Oldham, Marian Oldham, Lucien Richards, the late Robert Curtis and state Rep. Louis Ford. The protest lasted for several months and set the stage for St. Louis industry to take a closer look at its employment policies. Subsequently, doors to economic opportunity began to open wider in the banking industry and elsewhere.

Those who took part in the demonstrations acknowledge that St. Louis has made great strides since the Jefferson Bank protest, but they add that much still must be done. The challenge now is the less obvious bias that partly explains why, 25 years later, a disproportionate percentage of the area's black population remains in inferior schools, lives in dilapidated housing and suffers higher unemployment than the population in general. St. Louis would have improved wfthout these demonstrations, but it began to improve much faster because of them.

They set the tone for a commitment to fairness. They stand now both as a turning point that brought broader opportunities as well as a bench mark for judging future progress. LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE on one diske, but a spilled cup of coffee will do the same thing. Human error alone has destroyed more files than all the viruses combined. Power spikes destroy one's computer as well as data, but the media aren't reporting that.

Serious Business If cartoonists wish to espouse their views publicly, let them do so on the editorial page. Cathy Guisewite's daily tub thumping for her personal political beliefs was inappropriate and annoying in a comic strip. Carol Sue Schultz Ladue Thank you for the decision not to censor, move or remove "Cathy" during the recent pre-election sequence in which the strip explored the effects of the election on American women and children. For some of us, the courage of Cathy Guisewite to express her convictions in the tradition of Garry Trudeau and Berke Breathed has been a source of pride comparable to what we felt in response to the first woman in space, the first woman chess champion (even if only in the category of 12 and under) and the first woman on the national ballot. Four years ago George Bush debated Geraldine Ferraro and told a male audience afterward that he had "kicked ass." How could a thoughtful woman remain silent while this man was about to be elected president? Emma Kafalenos University City The problem with the media is they only have to report the virus attacks; they don't, have to provide mundane details about how to guard against them.

And when they do provide such details, they tend to make technical errors or add more to the myths. The key to guarding against viruses is to keep backup copies of one's files. These backup copies must be kept up to date. I guarantee that one can recover from any virus attack or coffee spill if one keeps a cool head and an adequate set of backups. Viruses can be a devastating killer or just a time-wasting nuisance; it's all up to the person using the computer.

Backups make Beware The Language Patriots the difference. O'Fallon, 111. Rob Rosenberger The New York Times The harshness and occasional mendacity of George Bush's campaign attacks leaves two reverberating questions. What personal price has Bush paid for running so slashing a campaign? And how high a political price will he have to pay? He won the office; now, facing the Reagan deficits' steep cliffs, hell have to manage it. The Democratic Congress won't soon forget the Republicans' exaggerations and smears against Dukakis.

When President Bush asks, as he will have to, for cooperation in managing the economy, more than one member will be tempted to recall his August sneer: "Read my lips." Los Angeles Times George Bush is dragging a whole lot of baggage, perhaps more than any other modern That does not preclude him from becoming an effective president begin ning Jan. 20. But to do so he must move quickly and boldly to assemble an administration that exudes excellence, competence and experience. What America needs now is for Bush to strip away all the old layers and get to the core, to reveal the essential President George Bush, alone in the Oval Office, equipped with a realistic vision of America and confident in a course of action. Americans want no more of Candidate George Bush who changes per sonality to fit the daily campaign schedule and the evening news.

For George Bush, the biggest test has now begun. Star Tribune, Minneapolis The paradox inherent in Tuesday's presidential election suggests difficulty ahead as George Bush seeks to. govern this nation. No one should find joy in that prospect All Americans should wish Bush well, for their, future rides with his. The paradox is; that Bush was chosen president in an election Michael Dukakis lost and President Reagan won.

Bush served, as intermediary, slashing at Dukakis while promoting Reagan policies that brought deceptive prosperity and peace. Bush now has no Dukakis to run against and no Reagan to run for He must govern on his own. The Evening Sun, Baltimore Let us pray that we will never know the full measure of the colossal; blunder committed by George Bftsh in his selection of J. Danforth Quayle' III to be a heartbeat away from the; presidency of the United States. From his shaky start to his stumble' across the finish line, Quayle has looked more like someone attending' a fraternity house party than running' for vice president.

Can anyone doubt1 what the outcome would have been had Quayle been running indepen-' dently against Lloyd Bentsen for vice: president? But the system gave us no such'; choice. Like it or not, we will have Vice President Quayle come Jan. 20. There is a one in five statistical pos-' sibility that Quayle will become president of the United States. He cannot waste a moment overcoming his manifold inadequacies in preparation for that terrifying possibility.

SI LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 900 Horth Tucker Boulevard 63101 (314)622 7000 JOSEPH PULITZER, EDITO AND PURUSHER 1171-1111 JOSEPH PULITZER. EDITOt AND PURUSHER II1MHI English-only movement at first glance may appear harmless, if a bit nonsensical. The fact is otherwise. Those who have been beseeching the individual states, as well as the federal government, to proclaim English as the nation's official language are not just, or even mainly, for English. They are against Spanish.

Their most recently proposed amendment to the Constitution would outlaw bilingual educational programs and the bilingual ballot At the state level, the approach is indirect and, hence, seemingly less tainted by xenophobia. For example, the ballot propositions proclaiming English to be the official language that were approved this week in Arizona; Colorado and Florida grant state legislatures the power to enforce English as an cfficial language without providing any. guidelines. This sounds innocuous, but in fact gives the states authority to legislate discrimination. Perhaps the three states could catch the spirit of the new nativism by giving themselves English names.

Congress made it clear in the Voting Rights Act of 1975 that the purpose of printing ballots in Spanish was to ensure that Spanish-speaking citizens were able to exercise the franchise. Eliminating these ballots would effectively disenfranchise them. Similarly, the purpose of bilingual education is to teach English while educating students in the other necessary subjects so they don't fall behind. Abolishing such programs would be counterproductive. As for the notion that the newest generation of immigrants isn't learning English, the fact is that 98 percent of American residents over 4 years of age speak English well, according to the last census.

As for not wanting to learn English, consider that in Los Angeles alone, the waiting list for courses in English for adults as a second language has over 40,000 names. Moreover, fluency in English isn't, and shouldn't be, a requirement of citizenship. People should be encouraged and helped to learn English but not required to. This country was founded on the idea that diversity is desirable, but that participation in the melting pot is voluntary. First-Class Hypocrite A Nov.

4 article reported that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has called for free and independent trade unions in Poland. Readers may be interested to know that a group of government workers in Great Britain has recently lost its jobs for refusing to sign a non-union agreement with the Thatcher government, even though an established union for these same workers has been acceptable to previous British governments for many years. Given the Thatcher government's attacks on such fundamental rights as the right, to belong to independent free trade unions, in addition to its record on civil liberties and the essential disenfranchising of local and regional government, one could be forgiven for forming the opinion that the current British government would like to rule in the style of the Polish one, rather than desiring the opposite. Thatcher is a hypocrite of the first order, and you would win high marks in pointing this out to an American public that seemingly admires this awful woman. Andrew N.

Tyler St Louis Private Property And Public Interest The complaints by many people on the political theme in the comic strip "Cathy" should be no surprise to anyone. Many people feel that the comics should deal strictly with middle-of-the-road humor and that there is no room for such political attacks. Maybe these same people should try reading something else besides the funny paper and see the humor of everyday life that these strips typify. If we start hiding comic strips all over the newspaper or even deleting these strips to protect our feelings, then we don't have to worry about where the real joke is. David Lurk Overland cOne Price Fits All The Chrysjer Corp.

has come up with a new sales pitch known as the buyer's bill of rights. It expounds on the rights a customer has to expect quality workmanship and to register a complaint when the car does not meet the prescribed standards. Nothing is new here. This bill of rights tells us that nothing has changed in the sell-er-and-buyer relationship as far as purchasing a new auto. But we do need a bill of rights to help assure the buyer of a fair deal.

However, the following items should be included: The suggested list price is to be eliminated and replaced with a price that is firm and fair; in negotiating a straight deal, the firm price is to remain unchanged; in negotiating a trade-in deal, the firm price will remain unchanged. Now, the buyers are looking at a suggested list price that is unfairly inflated. A buyer can be subjected to three different prices: the suggested list price, the straight-deal price and the trade-in price. This "whirling dervish" takes place each and every deal. We need the Federal Trade Commission to get into the act if any relief is to be obtained.

George Cavic St Louis Name and address must accompany every letter, as well as a telephone number for verification only. Letters may be condensed. The address: Letters to the Editor, SL Louis Post-Dispatch, Ht North Tucker Bivi, SL Louis, Mo. $3191. Letters cannot be returned.

-The downtown law firm of Lashly, Baer Hamel has moved a step closer to obtaining through condemnation proceedings a building it wants to renovate at the southeast corner of Eighth and Locust streets. The firm is opposed by Southern Real Estate Financial which owns the two-story building. Although forced sale of private property to a private developer should be, regarded warily, the law firm's plan is in the city's best interest Southern describes this proposal as a land grab, but it doesn't strike us as one. It's not as if the Lashly firm is unwilling to pay a reasonable price for the property. Southern, however, has refused to sell and is questioning the right of the law firm and the city to use condemnation proceedings to take control of the property.

Nor is it as if Lashly wants the property for frivolous reasons. Its plans are to restore the building almost to its original height and to use the added space to house its growing legal staff. And it promises to permit the building's tenants to remain there at least to the end of their leases. The question boils down to what's in the city's interest It clearly is in the city's interest to expand its employment base and make the best use of land. The Board of Aldermen must handle condemnation questions on a case-by-case basis and give them thorough review.

Such a review suggests that the Lashly plan stands on its merits. It does essentially what redevelopment is supposed to do generate jobs, boost the tax base and make an area more aesthetically appealing. Still, this tug-of-war points to the difficult choices that public bodies must make in deciding when private property should be taken for a public good. This week, Lash-ly's plan was approved by the Board of Aldermen's housing committee. Within weeks, the Board of Aldermen will decide whether to adopt an ordinance to permit Lashly to buy the building through condemnation.

In this case, it should. In similar situations downtown, the request of re-developers to acquire property from reluctant owners has been approved, and so should it be in this case. For The Children The well-documented lack of day care for children of poor families is a national problem needing immediate attention. The number of children living in poverty has increased by 1.4 million since 1980 and now stands at 5.7 million. Clearly, the current welfare system is not succeeding in its goal of reducing the number of families on welfare.

Change is desperately needed. We must help welfare mothers break out of the poverty trap and become productive, independent citizens whose children can face the future with confidence. Jobs and job training are the traditional routes out of poverty. But job opportunities are meaningless to mothers with young children who cannot afford private day care. It has been conservatively estimated that a national pre-school child-care system would immediately help 44 percent of poor children.

Such a system would free mothers to work to support their families while simultaneously providing a strong, supportive environment for their children. To this end. Congress should enact legisla JOSEPH PULITZER CHAIRMAN MICHAEL E. PULITZER, PRESIDENT GLENN A. CHRISTOPHER.

VICE CHAIRMAN NICHOLAS G. PENNIMAN IV. PURLISHER THOMAS M. TALLARKO, GENERAL MANAGER WILLIAM F. WOO, EDITOR DAVID UPMAN, MANAGING EDITOR EDWARD A.

RIGGINS, EDITOR Of THE EMTORt AL PAGE.