, 1907-03-07
WHERE THE WATER is DEEP


In n recent issue the ~Encampment
Herald chides the Cheyenne Leader
for condemning certain acts Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, and the Leader In turn
marvels thereat. 1t had come to be
lieve, doubtless, that anything 1t might
say would be accepted by the Herald
as the law and the gospel. There was
reason for this belief on the part OF
tho Leader. because the editor or the
Herald has been extremely liberal IN
his criticism of anything republican
and very 1flattering in his praise of the
Leader. He has even gone SO far as
to advise every person in the state to
subscribe for the democratic organ,
Possibly the Herald man has been
rudely awakened from his dream and
has reached the conclusion that he is
rapidly drifting entirely beyond repub-
lican water into depths mysterious and
unfathomable.
Some editors do not appear to I'M
derstand that 1t is '.the duty Of the
opposition to oppose" mt that no mat
ter what might be done by a republi,
can leader he would be criticized,
vilihed and misunderstood. The edi-
tor within the lines who assumes a po-
sition Of carping, unreasonable criti-
cism, following off democratic editors
ut every tangent. not only destroys
his own usefulness, but becomes a pos
tive menace to the success n the
value of his party organization. He
ultimately reaches a state of mind that
permits him to see nothing good In
his own party and everything that is
high and mighty in the opposition.
His criticism is not calculated to build
up but to tear down. He points no
remedies, but continually finds fault
with the plans n the work Of those
who are doing things and the leaders
of the party. II he would formulate a
good plan and advocate its adoption,
there would be some reason In his
fault-fnding. but when nothing but
condemnation Is presented. the com
munity derives no value from his Ell
forts. His work Is destructive. not
constructive. Parties are lever built
up by such methods.
Now, just for Illustration. has the
Cheyenne Leader, at any time since
its purchase by the democrats, been
found carping at democratic leaders
and demanding an investigation every
time there was a breath OF scandal
against q democratic o~fice-holder?
Not much. The Leader, If anything,
Is a consistent advocate of everything
democratic and q d~enunciator of ev-
erything republican. The only thing
to be regretted is that it has found a
very few who claim to belong to the
republican party who are weak enough
to believe that 1t is good politics to
assume a position of lofty criticism Of
their party associates and their party
actions, at the same time commend
ing the actions of the opposition. 1t
avails nothing to say that our entire
system of assessment and taxation lis
wrong without advocating some plan
for its bettermant. Every sane mar
knows that taxation Is unequal and
that almost every citizen is making a
strenuous cndeavor to pay on just as
little property as he can. This fault
extends not only to the corporations,
but to individuals in every walk OF
life. Republicans and democrats alike
dodge taxation. Honest citizens in all
parties would hail with delight a sys-
tenn that would give equality before the
law. We can reach such a system
mor quickly by building up than by
tearing down. Nine times out Of ten
there is more trouble with a carping
critic than with the party he criticizes.
A noted writer once said: 81 think
If l worked for a man l would work
for him. l would not work for him n
part of the time, and then the rest OF
the time work against him. l would
give an undivided service or none. II
put to the pinch, an ounce of loyalty
Is worth a pound Of cleverness. II
you must vilify. condemn and eternal
iy d~isparage, why, resign your posi-
ton. and when you are outside. damn
to your hearts content. But, l pray
you, so long as you are a part Of the
institution, do not condemn 1t. Not
that you will injure the institution
not that-but when you disparage the
concern Of which you are a part, you
disparage yourself. More than that,
you are loosening the tendrils that
hold you to the institution, and the
first high wind that comes along you
will be uprooted and blown away in
the blizzard's track-and probably you
will never know why. The letter only
says. Times are dull and we regret
that there is not enough work. ct
cetera."
The same thing applies to parties
democratic. republican or what not.
1t may be that the head Of the party
is not handling matters right. Under
aurh circupn af a ncos ~ Ia Tho wiao NIL