The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-06-01
A COMMUNICATION.

EulUOI EuGboplloo'
In your last issue see the formal announce
ment of Hon. ]. 7. Haskell as candidate for the
nomination as congressman to be decided at
the convention to be held in Wellington.
Local pride in the fact that one of our citi-
zens is a candidate for the Office, Is, fear, q
little apt to cause the voters to overlook other
facts that appear to me Of such Importance,
that for the first time in my life / address
communication to news paper on political
subject
Being often in other towns and cities in the
last two months and seeing the overwhelming
and intense interest shown at all other places,
it seems remarkable to me how quietly our cit
izens take the fact that our nation is now pass
ing through a crisis where all must forget
petty aims and ambitions and each and every
citizen remember that the nation is composed
of only he and his brothers and all must have
but one single purpose in every act OF public
nature, and that should be looking to the best
interests OF our common mother Country.
Our nation will not succeed in her struggle
unless every man from our gallant and trusted
Mckinley down to each humble voter at the
too often neglected caucus, keeps this idea to
the fore az the guide Of his every action.
In the past 80 years Of peace many think that
much patriotism has not developed in the
halls Of congress, but that its struggles have
been largely those seeking only the advan-
tage Of the political parties. But patriotism
is there and when the signs of strife with
another nation have appeared, party lines have
been swept aside, and our hearts have all
swelled with admiration OF our congressman
when they thundered with one voice the unan-
imous "Aye," voting confidence in and grant
ing power to President Cleveland to handle the
Venezuelan question and then the same to
President Mckinley in this matter with Spain
The time has come when congress is all i'm
portant. 1t is, to all intents and purposes the
Nation. Modern war is now entirely matter Of
brains and money. While the army and navy
really fight, yet congress gives them being, in
creases them according to necessity, and arms
clothes and feeds them with the money they
decree by their laws shall be raised. While
the war progresses and we intently watch tht
actual fighters at the front we are prone to over
look the men on whose judgement much of the
success of the war depends and whom we trust
to equally distribute the terrible burden Of cost
to be laid on us all.
While it is every mans right to strive and
an honor to be thought worthy, fOI nomina
tiOn to congress, it is recognized fact that /
takes a term or two before man is Of mucl
use there, and as this district has been ably
repree ented by Hon. W. s. Kerr, to me 1t seem
the poorest OF policy to even slightly consider
nominating an inexperienced man just at thi
critical time fora members usefulness and in
fiuence is greatly curtailed as soon as another i
nominated in his stead; and to replace on
whose experience now makes him usefu
member Of prominent committees where hi
zeal and ability have made him known as on
Of the hard working members, not attracting
the attention as does some fiery orator, but 0
far more use to the nation and district,
While not in the least discrediting tn
ability Of Mr.. Haskell or any Of the others VIII
have been mentioned for the nomination
none Of their friends are justified in claiming
that their candidate can now do the county 0
district as valuable service as Mr. Kerr.