The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-03-22
IS OUR NATION RETRocaADINca
In a recent issue of this paper our


socialist friend. Sartorius, tells US
that the United States is the worst
governed nation on earth. We are
made to believe that We are con-
trolled by the special interests"
whose great delight is to enjoy cham
payne suppers in grill rooms and ride
in automobiles while the people walk
shoeless on the sandy and dusty
roads.
Yet all along we have been taught
to believe that this government was
conceived in righteousness and was
born in the fullness of time when the
world was willing to join in the ac-
claim of the "Fatherhood of God, and
the Brotherhood of Man"
We were taught to believe that this
nation was the asylum for the OPP
pressed of all lands.
So strong has the belief found a
Judgment in the nations of the earth
that the United States is a govern
ment of the people, for the people
and by the people," that here in lat
er years, Bartholdi, the great sculp-
tor of France, has caused to be erect
ed at the entrance of New York har-
Dor Statue of Liberty enlightening
the world"
We do not envy those that We look
upon with contempt. When We are
building battleships and putef2g our
nation on a war footing the little rs
publics to the south of us do not for
a moment enter into our calculations.
And this being true of us, it is true
of others.
Why is it, too, We may ask, are
the United States the envy of all the
world? Why are the best blood of
the nations of the earth flocking to
our shores? Our prosperity, our prog
ress, our independence, our valor in
war. our moderation in peace, our
high scale of wages, have aroused the
JSdlOuSISo duO SCI dill IuC OtASL
nations against us.
Mr.. John A. Sleicher, in late issue
of Frank Leslie's says:
IF it were not for commercial
treaties which forbid discrimination
against our trade it would all be TAX
en- from us on one subterfuge or an
other.
Germany did her best to drive out
American meats by making the un-
wholesome. Our government prompt
ly and at great cost established per-
feet system of inspection at the pack
ing houses. 1t placed the American
governments stamp upon our meats
and Germany did not dare continue
its warfare against them. Thus was
the German markets kept open for
the products of the American farm
and packing house.
Nov Great Britain seizes upon
mere pretext to strangle the import
ance of American pork and mutton.
Who gave it this pretext? Let the
workingmen and farmers, who are
more interested in this question than
any other, ask their members of con-
gress."
Why did not Canada join with us in
our reciprocity compact? Is it not
because of envy and jealousy?
If We have so conducted our affairs
that the great nations of the earth are
jealous of us: jealous of our pros
perity, jealous of our progress, jeal-
Gus of our independence, jealous of
our system of government, jealous
because it has not gone to pieces as
predicted and stands out as a beacon
light to all the earth that man is ca
pable of self-government, is it not
an admission that the assaults on our
system of government are the strong
est weapon of its defense and that
it can stand these assaults unmoved
and unmovable is because of it's stab
leness and absolute fixedness in the
hearts and consciousness of the peo-
pie?
No one can make us believe that
the chimes of the liberty bell' have
lost their SAVIOR and that men no long
er hunger and thirst in the belief that
"all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights, that among
these are life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness"
We are not ready to believe that
our form of government all of a sud-
den has become destructive to these
ends.
The democratic party ought to orig
mate by the "initiatiye 4" "roforar