Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-03-09
DISCUSSES ANARCHY
OR DEsPoTIsM
millionaire II. ID. Hume in the
Wcdderburn, Oregon, Radium.
Discusses Social Conditions.

hunters, the opportunity of the evil
minded presents itself and the de.
generate arise to the occasion like
the scum on the surface of the boi-
ing pot. The efforts of the agitator,
IL honestly directed against abuses
that really exist, often assist the de-
signs of an element far more likely
to trespass upon the liberties of man.
kind than the evils against which the
outcry is made.
What thonghtfui man who loves
this country can view It's condition at
present without alarm for Its future7
The individual freedom OF which we
formerly boasted is lost, and II we
dare express an opinion as 10 the
merits of any subject that Involves
the public safety and trenches upon
the self assumed authority OF some
combination which is outside the
pale OF legal existence, II must he
with bated breath and In tones so in
distinct that the walls" may not
hear. for fear that dynamite may be
suggested as a punishment for our
temerlty. Look at the criminal rec
ord for the past year and ponder
whether the suggestion of the big
stick has had effect on those victims
who have been waylaid on the street
Where now can the individual
look for personal security except by
physical strength and courage which
is of little defense against the attack
OF sneaking foe and often invites
the assaults OF the cowardly. II this
Is not state OF anarchy, II trenches
closely upon that condition and were
II not for the rural population upon
which the strength of all govern
ments rests, the right 10 life. liberty
and the pursuit OF happiness would
not be recognized by the mobs who
would rayage the country.
Our boast OF being "The land of
the free and the home OF the brave"
could be parodized to read "The lana
OF the flea and the home OF the slave"
in order to more correctly describe
the situation at present The COM
blnations. political and Industrial, as
well as the exposure OF the rascally
operations OF financial institutions
during the panic from which we are
emerging, renders the mass OF people
doubtful II there Is honesty
anywhere. and makes the indtsiaeal
suspicious and raises the question IN
the minds OF men who with better
sentiment warranted by social eond''
tions formerly existing. would be just
20 wonder whether there is any use
TO be honest. and 20 consider such a
proposition is the entering wedge "a
open an opposite course. Such con
dltions existing In the minds OF the
masses tend TO chaos. and the escape
from punishment OF the proven gull
~ OF crime tends 20 remove any re-
speet for or restraint that the laN
may nave had upon those who deslr'
ed 10 violate It's provisions. Every
citizen OF this country should reallz'
that such conditions cannot long ex
list without becoming burdensome e
great majority. for the evil must in
crease without an earnest effort on
the part OF the thoughtful to arrest
its course, aud the only remedy thai
can stay It's progress can be found
In placing honest and capable mel
at the head OF political AFFAIRS. Fai.
ing such action, the evil will continue
20 develop until such disaster eome'
apon the nation that the masses sati
ated with the carnival OF crime and
suspicious each individual OF the
other, will desire peace and protee
tion at any price. and the strong maj
will seize the reins OF government q
ride with despotic power. The his
tory OF France under Louis XVI and
Napoleon Is an illustration OF the
condition OF mind to which the peo
pie OF a nation can arrive and the
degree of cruelty 70 which they car
attain. and when their passions are
exhausted, how easily they can b'
enchalned. This Is a country wheft
the people were OF one nativity and
very often bound by ties OF relation
ship. What would be the result n
nation like ours made up OF all ths
peoples OF the earth without sympa'
mi s. religious or social. to brins
them together, a conglomerate mass
Of more than sO.e00.O 900 souls d.
vided into bands and eliques TO
great extent without a single thought
In common except the desire to seiez
the almighty dollar?