Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-12-20
THE BLESSED HOLIDAY PERIOD:
THE TIME TO REJOICE AND ToTHINK


sources of happiness and usefulness
that We take our situation as a matter
OF course, and give too scant credit to
our forefathers who so wisely laid the
foundation for the splendid system I'M
der which we live. We have liberty in
larger measure than any other people.
We rule ourselves through the opera
ton Of laws and regulations of our own
making. Whenever we find any de-
fects in our government we have the
power to correct them, and if we fail
to right apparent defects the fault is
entirely our own.
While we have no state church or
system of religion, the Gospel of Christ
is here accepted and made the rule of
conduct by more intelligent people than
in any of the countries that have re-
ligions established by law. And we
MAJ Gnanf God for the splendid toler-
ance and spirit of brotherhood which
has been growing stronger year by
year, in our free America, between
people educated in different religious
beliefs. The fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man is now an acknow-
lodged tenet in every system of relig-
ious belief and in the moral construc-
ton of society.
Human selfishness, the greatest OBJ
stacle to broad, generous and genuine
advancement, is growing smaller and
less insistent, and the magnificent pro-
vision already made and being con-
stantly increased for the unfortunates
of society, shows that we are begin
ming 10 give a right answer to the
question so Old: Am l my brothers
keeper" The sympathy of man for
bis kin and kind, the right of the peo-
pie in general to bear the burdens of
the unfortunate, is finding a place in
state and national enactments, and the
victims of accident in the industries of
our country will soon no longer depend |
on private charity or the beneyolence
of few generous wealthy people
We rejoice in the universal intelli-
gence of our citizens, due in large
measure to the general and generous
system of schools established through
out our land. In the earlier days, great
leaders educated the people and taught
them the principles of government.
Now the schools, the press, the pulpit
and the local civic circle have lifted the
masses up to the plane once occupied
by those leaders, and we only need the
leaven of Righteousness and rightmind-
edRess to make US the greatest as well
as the happiest people in the world.
While the CENSOR is no pessimist, it |
must sly csrildly that we will be for
tunate, indeed, if our great prosperity
does NOT corrupt US and cause us to for
SCI the homely virtues that distin-
guished orr forefathers. We have
been travelling onward At a rapid pace
Some of our servants, in high places,
have grcwn mercenary and are re-
eeiving for each year in public station
from five to one hundred times as much
as the average educated and Industrious
citizen is able to earn il the useful pur-
suits of private life, and LII ciamor i2r
more. Here is thought worthy of
consideration, in a progressive state
ike Wisconsin, which should make and
enforce the rule that waste in the form
Of needlessly high salaries, in useless
or unnecessary places, in state and ma
tioa, must not be tolerated
Our boosted education should make
US a discerning and practical people, and
enable US to distinguish between what
is spurious and what is genuine; be-
tween the honest doctor and the plausi-
BILE charlatan; between the dignifed,
honest, modest statesman working to
promote the public veal, and the noisy,
vain DISCLAIMERS who profess love for
good cause only that they may thereby
hasten their own advancement. Let us
push the work Of education until there
Will OC HO udlh ptdNcS III OhI tdiiuy anu
until every man and woman who has a
part to perform in the structure of so
ciety and the machinery for its con-
servation will know his and her rights
and possess the courage to maintain
them.
In this blessed holiday season the
CENSOR extends to its great and scat
tered family of friends and readers
the compliments of the season, and
wishes them, one and all, a Merry
Christmas and happy, prosperous
New Year.
=---------------------------
The new state of Arizona held it's
first election on the 18th instant. De-
mocracy swept the political platter
clear congo semen, u. S. Senators
ard state offleers just what will hap
pen everywhere if republicans keep up
their fractional warfare Possibly the
country desires another dose Of demoe-
raey, hard times and free soup houses.
AS for the CENSOR, it believes the in
4 $1,000 zk.z,rIJ