Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-06-19
THE KNOCKER.

|
ton addressed to The Polk Count,
Observer, exception is taken to thi,
publications. attitude toward improv
ed highways, the writer declaring thai
city folks should keep their nose out
q of the farmers affairs; that "the
, country feller" is capable of attend
ing to his own business. He wants
no better roads-no improvements to
highways. He has resided in Polk
county upwards of a quarter cen
tury, has made money under more
crude conditions than exist today,
and is contented and happy.
If the individual who is responsible
for the statesmanlike document will
favor this great moral educator and
family journal with his cognomen, ac-
companied by a tintype of his physog,
we shall take unlimited pleasure in
presenting the communication in full,
bad grammar, incorrect spelling and
all, with top of column next to read
ing matter position. We might even
90 further and delve into the sacred
archives of history and CLEAN there
from the possibly wonderful things
accomplished by this citizen for the
public good, and then inaugurate
movement to honor him with some
exalted position in the management
of county affairs. This would un-
doubtedly be monument to The OBJ
server Under existing circumstances.
however, such procedure is impossible,
for we know not the chirOgraphy upon |
the foolscap. This citizen, like the
coward who stabs in the back. hides
behind an anonymous communication.
Pessimism and hard knocking are
too much in evidence, and the proper
spirit of cooperation and of conf
dence in each other is lacking in some
quarters. The Observer is suspicious
that this citizen is High Priest of the
Knockers, who must be relegated to
oblivion before we can attain those
things which we should have. There
is marked disposition toward in
difference on the part of some Of our
people, who, while reasonably prosper
Gus, remain largely satisfied with the
result of their individual efforts in
private pursuits, and are inclined to
avoid tribute to the public welfare
by acts of their own movements for
the common veal. All matters of
public concern are subject to discus
sion by an untrammeled press, regard
less of what this citizen may think
about it.
The Observer contends that critic
ism made justly, honestly and with
proper motive, can be made to serve
A splendid purpose, and while it has q
heretofore indulged in no such critic. +
sm it does not hold that criticism
las not been merited. We are.
,ftimes, too apt to throw boquets az d
because some degree of sue Il
'ess has been attained. A communi- {
y divided against itself, or failing to c.
'ealize that it is nothing more or less v
han family. is pursuing dangerous Fl
actics when by a too passive policy
t rests satisfied with the laurelS it has
aimed. unthinking that with advanc- u
nc age and increasing population e.
more and modern things must come.
This writer should brush away the
obwebs and live in the present. u
We have reached a stage ia our II
areer when We need to bend every II
nergy to the furtheranee of our needs. u
We must not take up public matters
nth lukewamness; we must develop. tc
nd development means improvements. q