East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-06-15

by what we had just following the
panic in 1897, when Roosevelt was in
office. In the spring Of 1908 the
prices offered for wool were close to
those Of 1894. The files of this news
paper show that at the sale at Arling-
ton on May 90, 1908, the prices offered
for wool ranged from Ia cents to
S "a cents. Those prices were but
one-third or one-half the prices paid
for Arlington wool this spring. Yet
in 1905 the high tariff was in full ef-
feet and undisturbed. This spring we
had no tariff and no hope of one
but we had financial stability
Shortage or no shortags. tariff or
no tariff, the price of wool would not
be good if it were not for the fact the
business situation at heart is sound
thus making healthy demand for
wool. In other words the woolgrow-
ors owe their present prosperity not SO
much to the wool shortage as to the
new currency law and to the general
feeling prevailing among well in
formed businessmen that the govern
ment is in safe and intelligent hands
They expected lemon and they have
been handed peach. They should be
more generous about acknowledging
the favor.
Study of this nations emblem af-
fords a splendid lesson in citizenship.
1t is a lesson that may
The Flag of be taken with profit
Our Country. not only by those who
are Americans by ad-
option but by native born people as
well.
Our flag is the flag of freedom
The red in the flag represents our
hostility to tyranny and wrong. But
the flag represents more than that.
1t is not merely a flag of protest. 1t
is also the flag of duty and the flag
of righteous purposes. 1t has never
been flag of conquest or oppres.
sion. 1t should never become such.
Those who follow the flag most
truly are those who stand for bal
anced citizenship and for adherence
tc> the true ideals of the republic
They see not only the red but also the
blue and the white and the stars. They
know that citizenship calls for SER
vice and are ready to give it to the
best of their ability. Above all they
expect our government to live up to
the high standard set by our fathers
and not descend to the sordid level Of
old world monarchies.
~~~e>
When selfish interests cease to COM
bine with view to swinging nomina-
tions and elections
Fine Time to so as to favor their
Leave it Alone. own ends and when
old guard leaders get
over the notion that politics is the ex-
elusive business of professional poll
ticians it will be time enough then to
consider giving up the direct primary.
Meanwhile friends of the primary
law will do well to be on guard. With
the evident attempt of the old crowd
to come back another effort may be
made to scuttle the primary. The re-
dictionaries would do it in minute il
they had the chance. They have never
favored the direct primary and they
do not favor it now. They set forth
various objections to it. 1t may have
faults but its chief defect from the
standpat viewpoint is that it gives too
much power to the people and not
enough to the politicians. 1t does not
permit of sufficient manipulation and
jobbery to suit the bosses and the
bosslets. Too many people have say
in the game and nominations are de-
cided with view to the issues in
volved rather than in the good old
time way which allowed the political
generals to get together in quiet con-
fabs and deal out the cards as they
saw fit
The fact a great many politicians
are dissatisfied with the direct prim-
airy law is a good indication the law
is working we'll and is accomplishing
the purpose for which it was intend
ed. 1t is good time to leave it alone
When the politicians get to praising
the law and see great good in the
measure it will then be time to look
/ the situation over very carefully to
see II the law is not slipping some