The Grit-advocate., 1904-08-12
The J ulesburg Knockers.


are not content with doing nothing
themselves to benefit the community
il which they live. bnt they seek by
their continual knocking to prevent
others from doing things which would
benefit the community. To these
knockers it matters not what enter
prise is prOpOsed-whether the build
ing OF u new court house or the con
''agin"it. And they are "agin" it,
not simply because they are opposed
TO all progress. but principally because
1t Is not possible for them to overcome
their natural instincts to knock.
II, in his nefarious campaigns, the
knOcker would contine himself to leg
itimate argument, and would show
proper regard for truth, the situation
would not be so serious. But he will
not do this. He can produce no argu-
ment against most Of the propositions
he opposes and he would produce none
IL he could. He prefers to warp truth
to fit his own statements, and to use in
place Of argument the handler weapon
nf personal abuse OF the people who
favor the proposition he is opposing.
1t is easy to accuse "John Doe" OF be-
Ing boudler and thief, and to de-
clare that every enterprise with which
lie Is connected must be tainted with
robbery. To the Knockers mind it is
not necessary to go further and tell
when tine said Doe" did his boodling
and when he committed theft; all
that seems necessasy to his distorted
reasoning Is to make the accusation of
crime, and make it in Il seemingly
sincere mani r, and the public must
believe it.
The worst + ture Of the case is that
occasionally or Julesburg knocker
finds person deo will believe him.
This is not str ke, for the knocker is
smooth and plausible talker. Not
only this. but he is constant talker,
and Of necessity he often finds listen
ems, especially if he can corner some
newcomer who. is only slightly ac-
quainted with him. When the knock
ermeets the newcomer he is in clover:
he hss met a person who will listen to
his howl and who may possibly believe
some OF his statements. Whether he
accomplishes the feat of making his
victim believe him or not, the knock
er has aired his grievances against all
mankind i'll general and against his
netghbOr in particular. and above all
lie has sustained his reputation as
kn0cker.
The Grit-Advocate regrets to pub
lish to the outside world the fact thut
there are knockers In Julesburg, even
though their number is small, but the
Julesburg organ of democracy and dis
cord ad 'ert!ses the fact every week so
far Us its limited circulation will per-
init, and also the further fact that the
Tidings is the hardest knocker in the
bunch, and wider publicity will not
aggravate the situation greatly. II
our observations will but serve to
show the Knockers the error of their
ways. and cause them to change them,
we will be content. Then will it be
possible for stranger to remain in
town at least twelve hours without be-
ing loaded up by the knockers with a
mass of falsehoods slch as were told BY
them to certain man last week be-
for, he had been in town day.
Justas sample of the things which
were told to this man for truth We
shall mention one. He was told that
the county was s4S,0OO.0O in debt,
statement which every man, woman
and child in Sedgwick county knows
to be false. Further than this, every
person in the county knows. or could
know by reading the semi.annual
statement OF the county clerk, which
was published in The Grit Advocate
July %. that the county treasurer had
On hand June 30, sD,624.O4 OF county
funds, exclusive OF school funds, or a
total, including school funds, OF
sl+,8O7 SO. At this time there we're
warrants outstanding which amounted
toel3 30. There is quite a difference
between an Indebtedness OF $l3.3O,
with more than nine thousand dollars
with which to pay il, and an indebt.
edness OF $4S, 10000, and bankrupt
treasury.
The instance cited is only one Of
many which might be given to show
ho In, tpl, Jrl
knockers disregard truth when seek.
ing 70 cast Odium upon the existing
condition OF affairs. AS we stated be-
fore we shall consider the space occu.
p;ed BY this article we'll used. II per-
cha nee IL serves tu show the knockers
their evil ways. and causes them to
change their dispositions.