Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-13

Mystic that efforts are being made Tor
a special excursion of five coaches, to
transport the union miners of that city
to the celebration in Ottumwa. The
different committees are hard at work
on arrangements and by next Wednes-
| day evening, when the assembly meets
| in regular session the program will be
completed, grounds selected and Off
GERS of the day appointed. Returns
from invitations sent out from ada
cent cities are of such an encouraging
nature that the assembly feels like
making an effort to prepare for an eX-
tremely large celebration.
Sampson Hit 1t.
| Much fuss has been made about the
statement of Admiral Sampson to the
effect that he was opposed to the pro-
motion from the ranks of young men
to be in line for the higher positions
in the navy, for the reason that they
are not socially fitted to properly rep
resent this government in the line of
duty that usually falls to them, says
the Pueblo Courier. The statements
of the admiral have come in for great
deal of criticism in all parts of the
country, from newspapers, officers and
legislators. But just stop a minute.
Did not the admiral state what is
known universally to be the truth? Can
the man with no social standing hope
!. to receive the recognition that is eX-
,, tended to the son of the nobility
And what is mobility" anyhow? Isn't
It preferment, pure and simple? II
this country prefers lot of lazy fell
lows above lot of industrious ones,
and provides easy berths for the favor
ties, while it compels the Industrious
ones to work early and late for their
: daily bread-does not this constitute
nobility" What is the use, said the
admiral in effect of putting these boys
of no social standing in position
where they will be regularly snubbed?
Instead of criticising Admiral Samp
son for his utterances, we ought to
praise him for being brave enough to
> state a truth, although it cuts deeply
into former cherished ideas. Our gov
eminent does not give the industrious
boy the same chance thai
the son of man with g
, pull" has, and there is no two
:, ways about it. But the admiral Nigh
!, have gone further, and still stayet
within the bounds of truth and com
> mon sense. He might have said tina
, so long as a few peaple maintain thu
:. establishment of the navy and the mil
> itary, so long will we have to prefe
a man of position to one of merit il
considering promtion. So long as w
attempt to ape the monarchies of tn
! world we will have to do in their way
They prefer incompetence to ability il
the army and navy circles, and w
: will have to do the same thing or els
y abolish the navy and army. Isn't tina
s. logical?
l. AS a democracy, we owe it to tn
e. rest of the world to show them tina
" men of merit are in all cases to be pre-
ID ferred to those who are snobs. Thi
le can never be done through the exis
IL ing system or conditions of navies Q
X armies. Let us cease to conform
n. the Old World methods and habits an
strike out on our own hook. Then W
have hope of accomplishing somethin
Of in the line of the work that we are fl
III ted by environment to do. Let u
ID abolish or change the whole system.
&c False Reports.
lie The rumors sent afloat in this Gil
ic during the past week about strikes an
r labor troubles were circulated by til
Id enemies of labor organizations for tt
a, sole purpose of creating false in
ID preston with the public in regard
oil ,+tit,,da oP orooni1a6 labor and