Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-04-30
PEOPLES PULPIT.


PEOPLES PULPIT.
0s&.as+4s.a.s..a'.s..ss'.s,.s..s..s.
So the People May Know.
preach only to the conscience Of
men, the love of your neighbor as
yourself, which Christ says is all Of
the law and prophets" w. B. Bonni-
field In the Courier, April "a, 1905
If it were possible for human be-
ings to live up to SO beautiful rule
what a magnificent universe this
would be. But, alas, the weakness Of
mankind makes the ideal unattainable.
And when an old man, standing at the
very entrance of the valley of the
shadow, asks his fellow men to live
up to so worthy standard and then
fails himself in doing so, the spec
tacle is sorry indeed.
Mr.. Bonnifield says that "Mr. Busch,
the brewer, came along and said he
wanted to familiarize the people with
his business. He settled down on this
library lot and park"
A reading Of the late Colonel Bal
Ingalls, will plainly shows this state
ment, repeatedly made by Mr.. Bonni-
field In former letters to the Courier,
to be wholly untrue.
In his will Mr.. Ballingall left to
his sister, Mary ]. Phillips (Mrs. Os-
car Won Holzschuherr) lots 1, 2, ana
4, together with her home and in &C.
cepting these gifts Mrs. Won Holzschu-
herr, as provided in the will, was to
pay off all debts of Mr.. Balingall. In
order to pay these debts she was COM
PEELED to dispose of either her home or
the lots above referred to. Sne chose
to sell the lots, they were purchased
by Mr.. Busch and a larger part #
the purchase money went to satisfy a
mortgage held on them by Mr.. Bonni-
field, himself. Is Mr.. Bonnifleld
preaching to the conscience of men
with heart full Of love for his neigh
Dor, Mr.. Busch, when he makes such
the statement that Mr.. Busch settled
down on this library lot and park"
In plot accompanying Mr. Balm
CALLS will provision Is made for a 1914
foot alley next west adjoining lot 4
This alley exists today. West of the
alley Mr.. Ballingall left "a feet Qots
5 and 6) for library purposes. Lots
8, 9, 10 and II were willed to the city
for park purposes and lot IL for a
flower conservatory. When money for
library was donated to the city the
citizens decided on library location
at place other than the one provided
by Mr.. Ballingall and since the cree.
ton of the library the members of the
library board have leased to the board
of park commissioners the property
left by Mr.. Ballingall for a library lot
and so now, lots 5 and 6, together
with lots Z, 8, 8, 10, II and IL have all
been converted into what is known
today as Ballingall park. How much
of spirit of love for your neighbor
is there in the heart of man who
will publicly say that Mr.. Busch has
deprived Ottumwa of a park when the
very existence of the park itself pro-
claims such a statement untrue.
|. If Mr.. Bonnltield were so anxious
that the citizens of Ottumwa should
have splendid park why did he not
purchase lots ID, IA, Is, 16, II and 1S,
and donate these to Ottumwa so as to
increase the size of the park donated
by Mr.. Ballingall. These lots left for
sale the proceeds Of which were to
enhance the Ballingall hotel, lay on
the market long time until recently
purchased by J. G. Hutchinson. If Mr..
Bonnifield was so anxious to spread
in practice a little Of his gospel Of
neighborly love how strange 1t is that
he should have overlooked such an ex
cellent opportunity.
This article is not intended so much
in defense of Mr.. Busch as it is to cor
rect an error. Mr.. Busch with the
Schlitz Brewing Co., the Leisy Brew
ing Co., the Hamm Brewing Co. and
the Ottumwa Brewing and Ice Co,
have come to Ottumwa and invested
their money, over 100000. The law
recognizes the business conducted by
these firms as legal, the same as it
does the banking business, and under
this recognition these concerns are en-
titled to as much standing as any 9TH
er business institution of the city.
Misrepresentation Of their position is
neither fair, honorable nor just, or
can any such misrepresentation be in
spired to utterance by a true spirit
of neighborly love
We ask for definition of that love
for your neighbor which will prompt a
man to secretly seek the enactment
of legislation for the purpose Of de-
priving these business enterprises
lIoH cOnuuCtluS CHElT leSlLlmate trade
and depriving them of their rights Of
property.
And if a man fails in this, is it not
more miserable still that he should
see the use of religious institution
try to cloak his actions in the mantle
of God-and endeavor in this subtle
way, as becomes only a hypocrite, 70
devastate the business of men who in
vested their money in Ottumwa and
entered the marts of trade
If the "Trend Of the Times" is to-
ward such goal-a goal that seeks
to deprive men of the rights of prop
Ierty, then show us, Mr.. Bonnifeld,