The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-12-16
Grange Notes.

in our small towns and rurel districts.
The truth was, that in national crises
the town meeting and strictly rural
element was looked to as a balance
against the evils arising in the over
crowed congested places of the world.
Now the better newspapers of the
larger cities are robberiers, murders,
assaults upon women and the general
lack Of order in the country, a cause
tor solicitude, and are advocating a
rural police system. The best p;lice
system is healthy public conscience,
this we must have, and [ know of no
better way for the farmers to keep
alive this vital breath, conscience
than in their organizations to thor
ougbly discuss the matter in all its
bearings. Some of the causes of
rowdyism may be found in our de-
fective schools. The rural school
has not kept abreast of the times.
Pupils are taught by the old rule
m,heod aud teacher is seldom found
who can divorce himself from the
text book. The studies are not
pleasing, and evil is so inviting and
pleasant, So we see our young men
and women, instead of giving their
formative years to laying strong
foundation for broad and liberal
culture, drifting along in the flowery
paths of ease. Not until too late
do they discover their mistake, when
they blame you and me that we did
not give them the opportunities they
so much needed. S14,000,0O0 spent
for the education of about l, 200, 600
youths! Look at the young people
leaving the schools and ask if you
are not paying pretty dear for your
whistle. 1t is useless for a child to
be compelled to spend SO many of his
precious years, 80 much time and en-
ergy to gain so little. Let us try
Capitalization of our schools, as a
way out of our difficulties Employ
competent teachers, grade the schools
furnish the active mind of the child
with something to think about, and
above all teach him how to stu y
and how to think, and We Will See
less lawlessness and crime.
Let the farmers DISCUS those ques-
tons and settle them III the light of
then demand remedy. !
Another cause for disorder is the
attitude of the press toward public
men. So soon as man enters the
political arena, he is mark for all
sorts of SCANDAL. No matter hew
pure and upright life he has led, he
is held up as the most deep dyed
william. Happy are the people who .
can come through apolitical campaign
without suffering loss OF manhood. ,
The weekly ne Sspaper forms the
only reading matter OF a large
number Of families. When they
see men in power accused of every i
in the calender and vet
retain their influence, they believe
hat all good has left our high places,
hat our country is on the verge of
ruin. Do you wonder that they are
righteously indignant, and treat with
the laws made by those .
whom they so thoroughly distrust?
There is lack of revernce growing
up in our midst which is appalling.
This distrust and lrreverence soon
eads to lack of patriotism, for who
would uphold those whom he though, !
violators of our most sacred law !
If it only hurt those in power the
matter would not be so bad, for the
wound would be but one of the prices
they paid for fame, but the cut is far
deeper. 1t reaches down into the
minds and consciences of every man !,
Or women who reads, and leaves its
scar. Just criticism is the balance
wheel of our civilization, but this in
liscriinate yelling is rapidly dealing
he public conscience. Shall we limit
he powers of the press by written
laws? No there is an upwritten law
that is rooted in every human breast
that must be the tribunal before
which our sensational journalism
must stand. Let strong, healthy,
public sentiment be arrayed against
t and the stanard Of excellence will
be raised. The great majority of
electors, those men who hold the
public sentiment in their hands, in
wardly protest against the news they
publish. Their broad knowledge of
human affairs, their cultured in
stincts are against such journalism,
but they say 1.-The public demands !
t, and we have to cater to their
tastes" that is business principle.
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