Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-10-23
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES ARE
GOOD.

newspapers or the country, especlally Oh
weekly newspapers. In Wisconsin this
decline was so great that The Milwau-
kee journal, always II close and kind
observer of the weekly press of the
state, made it the subject Of an editorial
article. Many newspapers publishers
in the smaller towns had really ceased
to print editorial matter. They simply
published the news Of their communi-
ties, without any attempt to explain 1t
or to make their journals power for
good. What was true of the country
press was true TO some extent Of the
great daily newspapers. The editorial
matter in too many Of them was merely
perfunctory and without life and vigor.
Only few continued, day in and day
out the whole year round, to discuss
public questions in manner to com
mand attention. The work Of stirring
up the people passed over to the maya
zine writers.
But great and hopeful change has
come over the newspaper press Of the
country. In II recent issue The Ameri
can press says that
The amount of space devoted to po
litical affairs in newspapers has trebled
during the last five years, and the pa
pers find that it pays to give liberal at.
tention to local, state and national gov
ornamental questions.
this fall and rise Of the editorial col
umn. In n free country politics is natu-
rally the chief subject Of newspaper
discussion. And six or seven years ago
politics had reached very low stage.
Absolutism ruled the national house of
representatives The power of the
speaker and the committee on rules was
greater than n two thirds majority of
the elected representatives of the peo
pie. The abest man in the country
might be sent to congress, but II he did
not work under orders from the party
boss he was without power. The SEN
ate under the blight of seniority served
special interests rather than the coun-
try. Many patriotic men ceased for
time to take interest in politics. They
were depressed with the thought that
they were no longer self governing
Political meetings failed to draw
crowds. General apathy ruled the day
The current explanation was that the
people were reading more than former.
ly and that they paid more attention to
the printed word than to oratory. Blu,
that was not the true cause. The fuct
was that people had come to distrust
politics and politicians, political writer's
and political speakers. The public
temper was bad
But there came II renaissance which
has worked great and peaceful rev.
olution. The majority of Democrats
in the house of representatives begun
to do good team work under wise and
responsible leadership and, joined by
brave band of Republican insurgents,
to whom great honor is due, they over
threw Cannonism and restored repre-
sentative government in the popular
house of the congress. In the senate
of the United States as great, If not
greater, change for good has taken
place. The senate is no longer house
of protected tariff barons. The mem,
bers there of are working together with
the members of the lower house in serv
ing the people.
But in the presidential office itself is
to be found the greatest cause for the
restoration of confidence in our repre-
sentative system of government
The President, with an understand.
ing heart, talks directly to the congress
and to the people and his words ring
true. He harks back to the best states -
manship of the fathers of the republic
and applies it to the present needs of
this great nation.
The reasons are plain why all the
people are taking n renewed interest in
politics, and why newspapers are de.
voting more space to political affairs.
The signs of the times are good,