The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-03-30


Germany convicts nine out Of ten
criminals; we convict two out of every
hundred. The trouble is smart politi-
clans and poor policemen"
A CYCLONE OF DEFAMATION.
This country has just passed thro-
ugh a cyclone ofdefamation, vitupera.
ton, exposure-much of it indecent.
We have been in q state of panic
through the policy of burning our
barns to kill the mice.
We are now recovering our sanity.
The commercial jolt We have expert.
enced has shown US that when the rail.
roads are prosperous-buying rails,
extending their lines, building bridges,
warehouses. collecting q better equip.
ment-we are all prosperous. When
the railroads cease pushing for better
facilities, there is lull, the bread line
forms, the tramp Of the unemployed,
and the hoarse and Ominous roar Of
the mob, are heard in the land. In
such times, an extra police force ia
needed, and menace becomes imminent.
individuals at work are safe-and q
nation is only safe when its people are
employed.
Now suppose you raise q cry Of
"Stop thief" and turn the powerful re.
sources ofthe government to harassiDg
enterprise with the endeavor to confis-
cate its property, take away its char
acter. destroy its good will, does it not
stand u reason that we thus kill ambi.
ton, destroy initiative, smother IS.
piration, and get a condition where ex-
pansion ceases, orders are cancelled.
men are laid of, and the whole land
suffers. Happily, however, We are
now getting our nerves back to normal
and sanity will soon take the place Of
hysteria.
We do business now according to
Marquis of Queensbury rules, when
formerly London rules governed the
contest. Our fight is with six.Ounce
gloves. Horse shoes and railroad
spikes are barred. There was time
when we fought with barred knuckles.
But business is not yet . ladies' lunch;
q snare and innocuous, harmless, tab.
by Four.o'clock. It is q struggle for
supremacy. And it is fight to . I'm.
ish. And it is just a. full ofromance
As were the knightly courts Of old.
Money is the measure cfpower, but
money for its own sake Is not worth
the struggle. Modern millionaires do
not hoard; they invest. And they in
vest that they may use. The success.
full man now always has the builders
itch-he is always and forever widen.
ing. extending, building, improving,
and it is all the line of human service,
human betterment. The exploit SO.
ciety is to fail, and wise. successful
men know it.
Nothing is more silly and absurd
than the idea that the men who have
built up the great modern American
fortunes are intent on ease and luxury.
As class they are men of obstemious
habits; simple. rapid and direct in their
dealings. They work sixteen hours
. day. They are in the game, and
they cant get out of it if they would.
Their millions are invested in . way
that makes use an imperative necessity.
To liquidate would be red ruin.
They say / am rich" once said James
J. Hill tn me, "and the yellows roll off
the number Of my millions. The fact
is. owe more money than al the men
in Minnesota. To make my invest.
ments profitable, and to keep them
from fading away. l am obliged eter-
nally to struggle in keeping them &C.
tive" One Investment calls for an.
other to protect it; 50 Mr.. Hill is ever
building. ever extending. This eter.
nal unrest of business means national
prosperity.
The habit Of certain newspapers Of