The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-07-15
TUESDAY, JULY Is, 1918.
"MARsE HENRY's" FAREWELL.

The lean of American journalism,
Col. Henry Watterson Of The Louis
vile Courier-Journal, literally the
"Iast of the Mohicans' Of Americas
earlier school of journalists, has an
nounced his retirement from political
activities after a long career as a
; democratic statesman and leader
which harks back to the days Of
EAndrew Johnson and the memorable
tpol:tical struggle between President
Hayes and Governor Tilden.
In "Marse Henry's' farewell from
politics there is a note of sadness.
For the virile old colonel - always
pronounced in his likes and d~islikes--
leaves the public gaze. with a feeling
Of dissatisfaction over the fact that
while he lived to see his beloved
party come again into it's own yet
it does not return under the leader
ship of men who were in his favor.
For twenty years the colonel has
been quadrienniaIly praying for a
democratic victory and now it has act
ually arrived he stands alone, a grand
and gloomy spectre in the political
forest, without a friend at court. AS
a consequence the colonel does not see
with glowing eyes and his peroration
is ~foreboding. Regarding this The
Sioux Falls Argus-Leader has to
say:
Henry Watterson has just delivered
mis- political ValediCtory, and it is
couched in the most pessimistic words
1t is too bad that the fighting colonel
could not sound the optimistic note In
making his last appearance upon the
PLATFORM. He should have been better
remembered had he chosen to speak a
good word for the laudable achieve
ments Of this nation at the present
time, instead Of following too closely
the method Of the sensational press
mat always sees evil and depression
everywhere. h topic chosen by the
veteran southern editor was A Peril
Menacing the Future of the Republic.
or course, the we'll known hostility of
the colonel to President Wilson must
pe taken into account in reading this
address. He sees nothing, or almost
nothing worthy of praise in the presl-
dent, and he looks to the past for in
SEPARATION, ideals and methods. THE
~ A1AIAPiS u NIL. HdIlGf-
sons address is that well known
axiom Of Jefferson that that people
is best governed which is least gov
erned. Now this sounds very good; ii
is a catchy phrase; but many who
applaud it would be very much embar-
raised if they were called upon to
appl 1t to present problems.
When Thomas Jefferson was in
augurated resident, in 1901, the pop
ulation Of the United States was less
than 100000 people. There were
none of the great problems pressing
upon the people of his days that there
are today. The needs of the country
were few; the people could be easily
governed with a minimum of admin
astratlve machinery and congressional
Ienactments.
But do those who constantly speak
or the Jeffersonian simplicity really
mean that the government of the
United States could be carried on to-
Gay In the same way as it was in 1901
And by the way, If MI. Watterson and
ms adherents are so much taken IN
With Jeffersonian simplicity, they
should not have enough good words
with which to praise Mr.. Wilson who.
IN many ways, has reminded the peo-
pie of the days Of Jefferson. Colonel
Watterson believes that the American
people are endeavoring to regulate too
many things by legislation, instead Of
using a healthy moral sense" and
"self-reliant manhood"
Surprising that this be true. how
would that Healthy moral sense" and
."self-reliant manhood" be mazda to
work? There is perhaps a synonymous
team for what is called sometimes
moral suasion." It may work to
some extent; but there are cases when
something stronger than moral sua-
sion, even a federal prosecution and E.
Jail sentence will do wonders while
the mere moral arguments would fail
D1sclpllnarians who oppose con-
stantly the use of stern methods in
dealing with children often change
their minds when they become parents
themselves. They find that. a little
persuasion carried to the mind of the
child by some telling physical means
Will work better than a whole hour
spent in sermonizing the culprit. And.
after all, as Wadworth puts it, we are
al children of a larger growth"
1t would be interesting to see how
Jefferson would deal today with the
money trust, the big interests. the
white slave evil, the greed of trusts
and other corporations, the immiera-
tlon problem, in all it's phases, and
countless other issues that were not
ever dreamed Of in his days.
~ ~ Inc or some able men
IKE Mr.. Watterson that they will con-
tent themselves with repeating some
catchy phrases and never tell Us how
they would, in the concrete, Apply
them to the issues of the day. They
sem to forget the famous and never
to-be forgotten saying of Grover
Cleveland that it is Condition not q
theory that confronts u.s."