Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-02-10
4 LESSON-.-sRALl We PROFIT BY IT?

The monster tidal wave that a few
years ago inundated Galveston left that
beautiful city mass of wreckage. Not
only millions of dollars worth of prop
erty, but the lives of thousands Of it's
people went to make up the fearful
price paid for neglect to properly pro-
tect the city from the waters of the
Gulf. Taught by the bitter lesson,
Galveston, ia rebuilding, reared such
sea wall as was never known before,
such as viii securely guard against
much greater storms than have ever
been known.
San Francisco, a product of rapid
growth and the consequent careless
ness in architecture and workmanship,
was leveled by an earthquake and the
attendant fire. Again disaster incul-
Gated the lesson of preparation against
danger Modern ingenuity was drawn
on to provide building plans that would
so far as possible prevent recurrence
of the catastrophe.
With the recent terrible tragedy fresh
in our minds, it is well that we, too,
should pause and reflect; that we should
study the conditions that caused it, and
endeavor, SO far as possible, to guard
against them in future. Our hearts
are filled with grief for the murdered
man and his stricken family, and should
be filled with pity for the hayward wo-
man, in one sense largely responsible
for the tragedy, but in a larger sense
only product of crime producing con-
ditions. But this is not sufficient. Sor-
row will not bring the dead to life.
Active effort is called for, TO protect
the living from similar fate.
However we classify the tragedy,
whether as murder, suicide or accident,
there is absolutely nc doubt as to the
underlying causes. Probably we will
never be able to discover the person or
persons who directly caused these
deaths, but we can point with certainty
W tiS lIiStttutiOuo tldC are iSSpOAioiuiC
the saloon and the bawdy house. No
theory of the tragedy has been put
forth that does not include liquar as an
active element. We're it not for the
bawdy house, and the quarrel, engen-
dered, no doubt, by liquor, the fatal
drive would never have been taken.
In the face of this awful lesson shall
we fail co take steps to avert repeti-
tions in future? Shall we neglect to
erect barriers against dangers SO plain
ly apparent, so direly threatening, so
far reaching in their destructiveness?
The shallow plea that these institutions
hurt no man if he leaves them alone is
shown to be specious and false. The
murdered man was not heavy drinker,
and had nothing to do with the bawdy
house except through his vocation as
liveryman. The destructiveness of both
these evils is so far reaching that no
home is safe. Shall we continue to in
vite disorder and crime, or wipe out the
vile institutions that are their most
prolific causes.
Some of the evidence given at the
inquest is extremely mystifying. Some
little time ago jury of six good men
and true found, without leaving their
seats, that Corinne Holmes is an inno-
cent and unsophisticated farmer, who
is industriously clearing up tract of
land for chicken ranch or something
of the sort. Now comes Richard Kempt,
employee of said Holmes, and tells of
numerous visitors, male and female,
and divers cases of beer and other
drinks being taken TO what he calls
"the house." of quarrels and strong
language, all of which COMFORTS strange
ly with the common idea of meek and
&.o >, obax