The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-05-07
KNOCKS OF THE ENOCKER
A DETRIMENT TO THE TOWN
He Is Against His Town kOOeks its I'm
terPrises, Hits society and rOurs His
Tale OF Woe Into the Ears OF >trang-
ers.


county and village or to sit idly by
and view with compliment air the
hustlers' efforts TO add TO and main
tain the prestige now enjoyed by our
community:
The above may not be the exact
words used by the Melancholy
Dane in his soliloquy, bat for the
matter in mind they will serve as a
text.
In every community, especially in
a new country. there exists a class Of
men-and women, too who seem to
be imbued with a chronic desire to
comb all that which tends to the
betterment and advancement of their
own home town. These people, for
want Of better name, are called
knockers. -
No matter what new enterprise
seeks to enter their town, whether or
not it might be a benefit, this class
gets out its hammer and proceeds to
knock right and left in an effort to
prejudice their neighbors against the
proposition. They may not do this
because they do not think the enter
prise will be a benefit, but solely TO
crafty their disposition to knock
Many worthy towns have been practi.
cally killed because of the knockers
efforts.
Again, a man may stand for cleo
ton to public office. He is honest.
upright and capable. Nothing what
ever can be said against his character,
but as soon as his candidacy becomes
known Mr.. Knocker is after him.
The knocker remembers the candidate
as boy; when he was selling papers.
or saving wood, or blacking boots.
For that reason he should not be
elected and the knocker gets busy
trying to defeat him. In this manner
some Of the meanest, low down party
whipped iucompeteuts have been
elected over their every way capable
opponents and in the end have proven
costly to their constituency.
A man goes into a new country: he
looks around and recognizes the
natural possibilities Of the section.
He secures a holding, enIists capital
and proceeds to inaugurate a cam
paign of improvement. Settlers are
Induced to come and the prospects
for opening up the mines and for the
cultivation Of the section are bright
But the knocker is awake, ready aud
anxious to be heard At the first
opportunity he buttonbolss the new
conner aud pours into his ears tale
Of woe, and this is the burden Of his
song This country is no good
people here are now living sort Of
ha-l 10 mouth existence. the prop
osltion you are here TO look over i
nothing hut money making scheme
and after Its promoters have gotten
your money you will dud yourself
richer IN experience and poorer In
pocket. - In many instances the
knocker's argument CAUSES the pros.
pectIve settler 10 throw il I'D and
thus the community loses a good
citizen and the knocksr is happy BE-
cause Of his success IN soaring thu
other way.
In society the kuocker l. also to
De found. Here that parasite
delights 10 reddIiug the LATEST gossip
A breath Of scandal is gossip to hi
lips and the spreading Of tales a
delight. Through the Kuocker'.
eforts cIiquss are formed The
me mber- II one circle will not a.-o.
eiate with those Of another. \ feel
ing Of iealou-ly il aroused and carr
led to an Unreasonable extent II
soon becomes 20 strong that II one
family employs a certain physician
some Of the friends Of another
practitioner are yexed and the first
family Is cut off the visiting lists Of
the others The -ame condition On.
lists IN regard 10 attorneys. uer.
chants, artisans, aud IN fact all lines
Having succeeded in thus creating
turmoil the kaocker buckles and
smiles at the result Of his vicious
work.
Verify the Knocksr il creature NJ
evil moment He viev4 life and
things through the Dyes Of a ps--i
mist, and his influence il felt In all
communities The only way In lin
that influence is for other people &,
i0ok upon matters enthusiastically. 10
pull together, to create feeling ~
harmony aud 30 work to the end that
the whole people may bs benefited
When this is done the knocksr will
Ind his vocation gone and. while no
may never entirely cease his dis
gusting habit Of hammering, he will
be so ehectnally zquelched that he
will be glad to keep silent. though
he grumbles at the fate Che brougb,
upon himself. TX.
Excelsior NAV Ia ali -.L4