Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-12-02

a rejecting story about another fell
low being, would only give them the
benefit of the doubt, most of the
stories would vanish where they Or
iginated, in thin air. Three-fourths
of the evil tales whispered about, are
not true in any particular; of the
remaining one-fourth, was the rhyme
written:-
"There's so much bad in the best of
And so much good in the worst of
us,
That it little behooves any of us
To talk about the rest of u.s.
If women would help each other
out of difficulties by exchanging ex-
periences in like cases, instead of
pretending that they never expert
enced any such difficulties, there
would be no time or inclination to
pass along a word of SANDER of evil
report. There is a good policy to
follow which will, however, never be
a popular one, and that is to reply
to such tales with four words 81
don't believe it," If it becomes neces-
sary for the unbeliever to change her
views, that may also be quiet af-
fair known only to herself. 1t is as
a rule safe policy. Belief in evil
reports is without benefit to anyone.
When evil reports are received with
belief, there is no benefit of the
doubt for the one whose name is
maligned; and to the genuine sur
prise of the whisperer, the delight in
the evil story, travels around like a
boomerang and eventually rounds
up in her own affairs. There was an
old saying that perhaps is a LITTLE
dusty but is still perfectly good and
may be used for several hundred
years to come, something about
chickens and where they went to
roost. Chickens are still going to
the same place when the heat of
the day is over. Turnip seed is still
raising turnips; Hearts ease is still
coming up hearts ease. And unbe-
lief and the circulation of evil stor-
les still apt to send forth their own
kind. But the greatest benefit to
mankind in this town or Fort Dodge
will still be the benefit of the doubt.
TO SECURE HONEST CONCRETE.
Des Moines Tribune: The col
lapse of a big reinforced concrete
business block in Cedar Rapids will
serve to emphasize the need of some
sort of competent supervision of con-
crete construction.
Concrete is something that may
be good or bad, and whether it be
good or bad turns on such little
things that it may well be doubted
whether the community will ever be
safe in entrusting it to men whose
primary interest is saving cement.
The concrete pavement in Des
Moines and in many other cities, the
cement tile that have been put in, in
in the northern part Of the state
in large quantities, and that have
collapsed, cement sidewalks that
have not survived the first frost in
many places, are all of them notice
to the public that cement is some
thing that must be used with some
discretion.
The Evening Tribune believes that
the legislature in the end must put
very severe restrictions on concrete
construction and provide for the
most painstaking inspection of all
cement works.
Cement is going to be the build
ing material of the future. 1t will
if it is honestly used be the road
making material of the future. 1t
will be the bridge building material.
1t is going to be altogether too i'm
portant in the economy of states
like Iowa to be laid in a dishonest
or haphazard manner.
If the business block in Cedar Rap
ids had been properly planned and
properly erected it would not have
collapsed.
Why should life and property be
put in jeopardy in any of our cities
thru the attempt of contractors to