The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-07-01
POLITICAL
AG|TAT0RS
POLITICIANS WHO CAPITALIZE
STRIFE A MENACE TO
GOVERNMENT.
Neglect Of Agricultural and Industrial
Opportunities National Crime.
BY Peter Ra6ford.

There never was time in the his |
tory Of this nation when we needed |
statesmen more or agitators less than |
at the present moment. The oppor- /
tunities now afforded us on land and !
sea demand the best there is in state
craft and the possibilities that are con-
fronting US call for national issues
that unite the people, build industry |
and expand trade. The agricultural
and industrial development Of this
nation has suffered severely at the
hands Of agitators who have sent
torpedoes crashing into the port side
Of business and whose neglect of the
interests Of the farmer makes them
little less than political criminals. We
want no more OF these evil spirits to
predominate in government. Too long
their hysterical cry has sent q shiver
down the spinal column OF industry.
Too long have the political agitators
capitalized strife, pillaged progress
and murdered opportunity. An indus
trial corpse is not a desirable thing,
crippled business an achievement or
neglect an accomplishment about
which any representative Of the gov
ernment has a right to boast
Issues that Breed Agitators Should ne
Eliminated.
The political agitator must be elm
mated from public life before thought
ful consideration can he given to q
constructive program in government.
The liquor question is the most pro-
life breeding ground for agitators and
whether pro or anti, the hatch is
equally as undesirabl This article
is in no sense a discussion Of the IL
quor question but deals solely and by
way Of illustration with the political
products Of that issue. Other sub
jects will be dealt with in the order
Of their Importance.
Ill the history Of our government
the liquor issue has never produced
q constructive statesman worth men
tioning and it never will It has sent
more freaks to Congress, Lilliputians
to the Senate and incompetents 10
cfice than any other political issue
under the sun
The recent experience Of the Eng
lish Parliament which lashed itsciI
into a fury over the liquor question
has q lesson that it is well fer the
farmers Ct this nation to observe: for
the subject in some form or ether is
constantly before the public for solu-
tiCn and cfttines to the exclusion Of
more important problems to the Amer
lean pioWmen.
Too Many Political Drunkards.
Lloyd-George, the Prohibition leader
of Europe who led the prohibition fight
in England, has declared that he will
never again take a drink politically
| and there are many American politi-
| cians-pro and anti-whO would render
| their country service by climbing
! on the water wagon or signing pledge
| Of political temperance. Too often
| our legislative halls are turned into
members become intoxicated on liquor
| discussions. We have too many polit-
ical drunkards- and anti-in our
| public affairs. No one who is a slave
to the political liquor habit is quite
| SO capable of dealing with the busi-
! ness affairs of government as the
sober and industrious. We have few
| public men in this day who are strong
| enough to resist the temptation of
strong drink politically and when the
| demon Rum once becomes firmly en-
| trenched in the mind Of a politician,
| he is less capable Of meeting the de-
mands for constructive craftsmanship
/ now o02fronting this nation.
We have in this country too many
| red-nosed pcliticians-both pro and
anti. A candidate with political deli
rum tremens, preacher with politi'
cal snakes in his boots and an agitatOr
drunk on the liquor question are the
saddest sights in civilization and they
should all be forced to take the polit
ical Kelley Cure.
It is far moro important in govern
meEt to make it easier for those who
toll to eat than to make it more diff
ficult for a few tOpers to drink. There
is not one person in one hundred OF
our rural population that ever touches
liquor but we all eat three times q
day.