The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-06-04

had done for us as a people. We
forgot that good ncighbors were
parts of the denounced and despised
trusts. We neglected to distinguish
between the good and the bad, but
them all. The hue and
cry was raised and mobilize we
demanded remedial legislation that
at once threatened financial disaster.
We forced railroads into BANKRUPTCY,
we closed down banks, we closed the
doors of industries and brought on
a panic. Who did this? We did 1t
as a citizenery imbued with the mob
spirit against something of which we
knew little but imagined much. We
insisted upon better service from the
railroads, and demanded an increase
of salary for every employee. We
asked for conveniences never before
dreamed of and at the same time
legislated rates lower and lower until
disaster followed. This started as =
reform and ended in a demand of
the mob.
When we look about us we are
often at loss to know how GER
tain conditions became what they
are. We little realize that each and
every one of us had an active part
in making them such. A living ex-
ample Of this growing spirit or grad
ual trend of public opinion is evil
denced in the present super-critical
mind toward the public school in
America. This movement started
some 20 years ago and has grown
until today men of middle age are
ready to condemn everything con
nected with the schools as being
either wild fads or old fogy notions
The demand has been for a more
practical education and yet there
never was time in the history OF
the country when so many practical
branches were being taught as now
Fanatics have attacked the processes
politicians have described iappropria,
tions and faddists have been Mortified
at the injuries done to child life
From the rostrum, from the yellow
journal and yellower magazines anC
from the brazen trumpet of the re-
former have poured perfect tor
rent of attack and contumely. One
magazine with circulation reachins
more than million offered casl
prize for the best series of article.
against the schools and literally
hundreds entered the contest. 1t i,
needless to say that the one WHIT
was the most scathing, sarcastic ant
unreasonable was declared the win
ner. But upon being challenged t,
produce her ideal school, she showed
such a lack of practical understand
ing, even in theory, that her frs
article was the laughing stock of tn,
nation. ass
AND thus again we are apt to fal
into the popular clamor, into tn
spirit of destruction and let this car
ry us beyond our better selves. TIL
schools no doubt have their shor
comings, but who, can best remed
them, the trouble-makers and com
palmer, or the friends? 4
i It is only necessary to refer t,
1.-The pages Of history. to recall hoy
tickle and peryerse is this spirit, q
the mob. Elijah Lovejoy. mobile,
in st. Louis, because of. patheti
editorial on the lynching of negro
prosecuted, driven from place i
place and finally killed, only to b
proclaimed national hero a. feJ
days later BY members of the h,e' YER
lmo1I Gts 3ftNaG3I II 3fHiI 8aE5GsT
b aT9 saTS W
Wendell Phillips, tarred an
4 feathered one day by an infuriate,
mob and worshipped the next as til
noble champion of just cause. Joa,
OF ARG. the inspired woman leade
OF France, led the mobilize army in
to battle. defeated the enemies of tn
French, restored confidence an,
order only to be given over to tn
enemy by her own people and put t
death as a witch. Mark Hannal
about whom the rabble could no
ind terms severe enough cartoone
as an octopus, vampire, a cerebu
In human form, lived to be locke
upon as one of the truly great EN-
ployers of labor in this country Sue,
Is the spirit of the mob or the fickl
gossamer of public opinion.
Just now we live in an age q