Morris tribune., 1909-02-20


surrounding farms. You discuss
craftsmanship when you ought to be
talking settlers, and political tactics
instead of how to promote prosperity.
No man can serve two masters, for
either he will cling to the one and de-
spise the other, or he will despise the
one and cling to the other. Yet that
is just exactly what we of Morris are
trying to do. Our interest is centered
on politics-on watching this crowd
do this and another crowd do that,
and what effect this move is going to
have on the political checker board
and what effect that jump. We act
like politicians, we think in political
terms. When new man comes to
town, we tell him the latest political
gossip, and point out our prize de-
magogue or most useless statesman
instead of showing him Ed. jones
prize stock farm over the hill. Yet
those same pure bred cattle are worth
more to develop Stevens county into
the position it should hold indus
trially than all the politicians that
ever packed caucus.
Eliminate politics and the political
way of thinking and business and
social enmity will disappear. Busi-
ness men, as much, know that their
interests are common and can work
together. When they lose out on a
business deal, they forget it and look
for another one. Business rivalries
are healthy and instead of driving
men farther away tends to bring them
together. No business man who de-
serves the name ever thinks of build
ing himself up by pulling another
down, but politicians do that
very thing, and if a Morris business
man does that, he is to that extent
simply politician and not business
man.
Think it over. What did we talk
about today? Of the political prefer
ence of this man, of the social prefer
ence here, and another preference
there. Yet what do we as business
men care for preferences? We want
profits, and progress and prosperity.
It Mr.. A. has all the business with
in two miles of Morris, then Mr.. B. if
his mind is poisoned with politics
thinks only of how to get that busi-
ness away from Mr.. A., bat if he is a
business man, he goes after the un-
developed business that lies two miles
out. Then Mr.. G. reaches out four
miles, and Mr.. D. six miles, and there
is prosperity for all.
tell you that if we eliminate poll
tics, there are no factions in Morris.
You cannot show me town any
where situated as we are with as
many fine people, liberal, progressive
and cultured. Take away the political
poison and your factions will heal and
Make an assignment of
all your political likes and dislikes to
the Man in the Moon-or in the Sun
for all care and devote your best
thought to building up your own busi-
ness and you will find that you have
some of the best fellow business men
that man could ask for-men that
you can work with for the build
ing of Morris, while you contest with
them for the creation of new business.
Ladies and gentlemen, have I prov
ed my case? My complaint is that
for many years last past the citizens
of Morris have followed after false
gods, that they have played, acted,
thought, talked, gossiped, worked,
prayed and worshiped politics in
business, school, office, church, lodge,
society and personal intercourse, to
the detriment of social, industrial and
life, business progress and
prosperity, contrary to all the laws
and rules of social and industrial well
fare; and, ladies and gentlemen, as
both the plaintiffs, defendants and
jury in this case, shall the verdict be
''guilty" or "not guilty" I, for one,
plead guilty.
The Morris Improvement Union is
here to stay. We are going to do
what we can, and what we can't do,
We'll file away till we can. We al
ready have few definite plans for
building up and improving Morris,
but we are not to be daunted by fail
ure. The organization is here to as
sist in every possibly way, and we in
vite suggestions from all, and we
want your counsel and co
operation. We will get together on
everything we can get together on,
and when we can't agree we'n drop it |
md fry Something else We are all |