The Iola register., 1901-10-04
W. G. 7. i. COLUMN.
Pu bic Sentiment: It's Present Pulse, How to
Create and Enlist it on the
Right Side.

would gladly relegate to another and
to the discussion of which l would bC
an interested and attentive listener
But obedience is lesson that | early
learned and loving sympathy for the
stalwart few who are bearing the bur.
den of the age bids me, reach beyond
the waters, wide, of encouragement
that, apparently, so often surrounding
us, pluck and bear to you, If possible,
the olive branch of Gods eternal
promise.
''Public"-pertaining to the people,
relating to a Nation, State, or Com
munity.
Sentiment there, understood as
thought, feeling or condition of mind
concerning temperance.
''How to Create and Enlist it on the
Right side?" Now friends, note my
task, the wonderful confidence of the
assigner and the expectation of this
interested audiences; then recall for
your Individual, practical benefit
Paul's never-to-be-forgotten declar-
alton: "The greatest of these is
Charity" For can you not readily
see the "Public"-is something by
which to conjure, and their Sentiment
i. e. their opinion is something on
which the average citizen stands much
in awe and in whose attitude there is
much of alteration and veneration.
1t might seem that Pope's oft-quoted
declaration "Fools rush in where an.
gels fear to tread' would not be in
appropriate: for here you gather you
women angels.
(By the way, I can not recall that |
ever saw drawing, illustration, or
even a quotation that would indicate
even an influential minority of men
angels and you placidly sit expec-
tant that shall ''rush in" and lay
active and irreverent hands upon
Americas time honored "Public SEN
timent." "Yea, more, you ask me to
pose as National Pathologist and
with a keen eye of a practiced physi-
clan first diagnose the case, report to
you the condition of the pa TENTS pulse
and then prescribe for the sufferer
some grand panacea while you, self
appointed nurses, willingly undertake
to gratuitously administer the remedy
no matter how heroic that remedy may
be, or how immoderate the demands
of this inconsiderate and exacting pa
tient.
The present pulse of temperance
sentiment, frmer aud stronger, we
note, than in years agone, and yet,
locally, we readily observe its huctu-
ating feebleness. Why! Because long
since our royal patient was narcotized
by an allopathic dose of strong desire;
compound of equal quantities Of
Love for Gold and Party Supremacy.
What is true of the city is, alas too
true of state and nation. Public Sen
timent is generally apathetic, narcot-
ized! For greed of gold and party
gain our free American citizens have,
for years, been bonded to the liquor
traffic. Slaves to system which they
have erected and fortified, and which
so far, they seem powerless to over
throw. Do you doubt the assertion?
Then attempt to enforce the present
existing temperance laws upon our
statute books. The results will in
variably prove that truly justice sits
a blinded goddess, while courts de.
clare findings that do credit to a Sec
ond-hand political jink-syndicate.
Observe, that while city officials take
solemn oath to support the laws OF
of state and city, the but perjure them.
selves to dispense frequent ''injustice'
to the trusting Souls to whom they
vowed protection.
What do the dear people? Why
they bow meekly, in servility and elect
the same old gang to run the same old
machine another and yet another year
Patience! say you? Ay! but it's a
criminal" patience, sadly inconsist-
ent with our vaunted love for liberty
! claim tits idle to waste time and en-.
ergy in attempted reformation with
such machinery. 1t is simply putting
new wine into old bottles, they fail
you, and the wine of your endeavor is
wasted.
What shall we do?
Let us first take an inventory; ex.
anime carefully existing conditions,
the strength and resources of ouI
enemy ard locate the trend of oul
most successful endeavors. We find
arrayed against us the combined cap
ital of the liquor traffic, the federal,
state and municipal patronage of two
great political parties, an adamantine
wall of conservatism and a spirit OF
determined opposition held by many
good men against the formation of q
new party or the adoption of radical
prohibitory methods of dealing witt
the liquor traffic. The balance of po