Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-06-25

the dukes are heavy stockholders in
the breweries and the distilleries must
not be counted as sufficient reason for
such Grass neglect and blindness. They
have shown themselves unequal to
the signs Of the times. They have been
unequal to their chances, failing to
comprehend the magnitude and fero-
city Of their deadly foe, and even
showing a willingness to nurture it
in their own bosom. We are sorry
because the welfare of the nation has
been placed under such disadvantage.
They have bargained and agreed with
the viper.
They have another anniversary
which should make an impression up
on them. 1t should carve deeply its
momentous meaning upon their hearts.
The centenary of Waterloo is only
removed three days from the ami
versary Of the Magma Charta. 1t is
.rue that the two events are wholly
unlike in appearance. But our i'm
aginations need not be extraordinarily
strong to see that they are in truth
very much alike. The same principle
was at stake in both places, Waterloo
and Runnymede. At Runnymede it
was established and at Waterloo it
was defended and re-established. "In
the one two great armies, of different
nationalities, contended with force of
arms against each other until one of
them was defeated, and its leader
doomed to exile. In the other a king
stood face to face with men of his
own nation. and in a bloodless argu-
ment settled vexed question of in
ternal administration. Yet in larger
sense, Waterloo was another Runny-
mede. What King John represented
of imperial self-assertion Napoleon
represented in the terms of world
wide ambition. When Louis XIV of
France. swelling with pride in the sue
cess of his royal achievements, ex-
claimed, 81 am the stated" he uttered
the heresy of irresponsible monarchs
and cruel tyrants since time began.
The people are the state, and the
king, if there be king, is their serv-
ant. Kings are needless and ex-
uensive luxury, but the people are
indispensable" The mobiles of Eng
land compelled King John to admit
this at Runnymede. and Wellington
at Waterloo forced it upon the reluct-
ant attention of Napoleon. They
were two victories of the people over
monarchical self-assertion- one with
a pen and ink. and the other written
in blood with a pen of hot steel.
These two anniversaries, coming as
they do only three days apart in the
same month, ought to have brought
another charter from the bosom Of
England against the foe that under
mines her strength. The foe that
renders her chances lesser in number
and poorer in quality ought to have
received the blow that it deserves. We
sincerely hope that it will come yet
She is fighting the battle of her life
not against a foreign enemy, but
against the one she shelters within
her own borders. 1t is alcohol. This
Is the despot that makes her weak
that keeps her to the ground She
crops her own wings. BY all means
she should hasten to write, as she
wrote seven hundred years ago, that
the Church must be free and unhamp-
cred by any legalized institution;
that no freeman is to be tempted,
weakened and undermined by any
thing which Is upheld by TIE goverrf
ment; that justice demands that the
homes of the people of the United
Kingdom must not be impoverished
and overthrown in order to fill the
pockets Of certain men who call them
selves, lords and dukes. This ought
to carry the number of this year, 1915
with it. What charter it would be-
The people would read its message
around the world. The sun would moi
set upon its influence. The waves
would be ruled by it as well as the
children of men, and by and by, il
might be that the sword would fal
to the ground, broken in twain. We
will watch for the new charter.