The Alaska daily empire., 1912-11-18
SIDELIGHTS

El.I
 Who will get the wishbOne? Well, Turkey won't keep it
 Frank Gould is going to Europe to reside permanently. Well let him so. He never will be missed.
 Wonderful how many people arrive at their point with the greatest pos, sible terminologlcal inexactitude-in other words by downright misrepre' sensation. not to say lying.
 want to be a Democrat,
 And with the party stand,
 A frown upon my forehead,
 A job within my hand.
 A petition to Congress that is be- ing circulated for signatures is worthy of more than passing atten. tion. It's sponsor Is former mayor Valentine, and 1t has the right ring and a laudable purpose in view. The substance of the petition was printed in The Empire the other day. It sets forth theat there is no suitable place in which to house the territorial leg islature when 1t shall meet next March, and an appropriation is to be asked from Congress for either an ad- dltion to the present federal building or for the construction of separate building. A new building, We believe, would be preferable. but 1t will be another case, perhaps, of taking what we can get In any event the petition should be largely signed and other legitimate efforts be made to secure the desired result
 A territorial capitol is a necessity now. and the need will become great CT with each passing year. So, let everyone get in and boost the prop osition. There is reason to believe that if an active campaign is made it will be successful. But the agita- ton must be kept up.
 "All reforms" said Daniel o'Con- nell. the celebrated Irish patriot, "are the result of agitation. And the words are just as true today as they were a hundred years ago. Agi- tation leads the vanguard of prog ress. Without 1t the world would stagnate, progress would be unknown, and ignorance would be widespread. The so-called advanced legislation" of many of the States is direct re- sultant of the agitation for the bet torment of conditions in the human family. It is only very recently that human rights have been placed above the rights of property by legal enact ment. It took many years of persist ent and even bitter agitation, which eliminated in the fercest civil war of history, to end slavery in our own country.
 This nation itself was conceived in agitation, and born of the unjust bur dens that were placed upon 1t. Agi- tation is responsible for the Boston tea party, for Bunker Hill. and Lex ington. for Eutaw Springs and York town, for the independence of the na- ton itself, and the proud position it has occupied as an asylum for the oppressed of all nations.
 If you don't ask, you're not likely to receive; if you don't knock, you can't expect the door to be opened to you.
 But there be some who never like to be disturbed. Action is a torment and agitation is anathema. These are the few; to them agitation spells ruin and the disturbing of fixed conditions is a menace and a snare. Agitation for reforms, for betterment of exist ing conditions, for human progress, human rights, for all things that make for the increase of health and happiness, is the safey valve of any people that value freedom and would --.----... It..i. 1It.n.-