Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-26
Outside Point of Wen

The switchmen's strike in the north
west furnishes the text for many edl-
torials. 1t brings out the need OF pen
altv for failure to keep contract. lit IS
the subject of many writer's who see
remedy for such labor troubles in en-
forced arbitration. But no more inter-
esting phase of this whole affair was
brought to public notice than the large
three column paid advertisement in the
Chicago papers signed by every ran
road corporation operating in st. Paul
and Minneapolis. Ut was an address TO
the public, asking their sympathy and
defense of the position taken by
these corporations. Not so long ago
a similar article appeared in one OF
the magazines, written and signed by
one of the most prominent packers in
Chicago, in which he showed Why such
charges We're necessary for icing cars
and for the need of special cars used
in the fruit business. prominent
breakfast food manufacturer, has for
several years, issued addresses to the
public by means of paid advertisements
In the daily papers, incidentally adj
vertising his wares but nominally in
defense OF his position in fighting GER
tain labor unions
In all this there is much comfort for
the individual citizen. Its a plain adj
mission that we need you. 1t says in
substance unless YOU are on our side
we can not win. We may be a big
corporation, big trust, large com
bine but big and rich as we are, your
patronage, your sympathy as we'll as
| your dollars are necessary to the sue
cessful management of our business.
/ These corporations do not say so in
so many words, but this whole business
of appealing to the public by means of
magazine articles and paid advertise
lnents virtually admits all that is
classed in the preceding sentences. In
other words public opinion makes or
i breaks. Its one of the most encourage
ing signs of the times we LEV in.
And to go outside of the text little
the argument is just as good with ref
erence to matters of public policy.
Slavery seemingly intrenched forever
as part and parcel of the makeup of
this country finally gave way to public
l
honor seemed at one time as necessary
to nations welfare as the golden
rule. Public opinion has ended such a
conception of honor almost the world
over. Russia still holds such views in
army and navy circles, but Russia is
a thousand years behind this present
age of civilization in many other
things. The king can do no wrong
was a part of every childs education,
in every king governed nation q hun
dred years ago. Its not in any school
book today To sum up. Every great
reform. every great advance, in politics
and religion, has been brought about
and caused by public opinion expressed
on platform, in pulpit or press.
4
An item is going the rounds that at
the present time our congressman and
senators are flooded with letters from
their constituents. To many it seems
a waste of paper. ink and postage. but
just the same it's this self same public
opinion that is doing its work. An
Iowa United States senator once said
to the writer, Il am influenced much
more than I admit by reading our
country Weeklies." We smile when
constant reader IAN old subscriber
pro bono publico" or "veritas" rushes
into print and uses column of the
home daily to express his views But
it is one of the factors in determining
other big questions. Somebody has
said no uttered word or printed SEN
tence but has some influence in formine
public opinion.
There's another thought that goes
, with all this and that is, how much W.
all need the ability to detect the tru,
from the false. The railroad corpora
tons in their paid advertisements asl
, us to sympathize with them in thei
conflict with labor But so does tn
president of the switchmen's union
The prohibitionists of this country iay
long lectured, written and sent out mil
lions of pamphlets, but the brewer
0 and distillers are also adopts in tn
: use of printers ink. Sure is it, not al
f of these are entitled to our sympath
+ and active interference. So that afte
all, individual judgment settles matter!
When enough individuals agree we ca
it public opinion. Then is created
force which sweeps away everything