East Mississippi times. (Starkville, Miss.) 19??-1926, 1915-06-18
POLITICAL J
AC|TATORS
G-~---la
POLITICIANS WHO CAPITALIZE
STRIFE A MENACE TO
GOVERNMENT.
neglect Of Agricultural and Industrial
Opportunities a National Crime.
BY Peter Radford.

mere never was time i'm the his
TORY or this nation when we needed
| statesmen more or agitators less than
aI the present moment. The oppor,
tuhltles now afforded us on land and
sea demand the best there Is I'm state. |
craft and the possibilities that are con- |
fronting us call for national issues
mat unite tho people, build industry
ana 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 a shiyer
down the spinal column of industry
TOO long have tho political agitators
capitalized strife, pillaged proPress
ana murdered opportunity. An indus.
trlal corpse Is not a desirable thing,
a crippled business an achievement or
neglect an accomplishment about
"hlch any representative of the gov.
erhment has right to boast.
iasiias that -RnAAd- -Aniia ataaa eha,.la L.
mated from public life before thought,
full consideration can be given to a
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 undesirable. This article
is In no sense q 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.
In the history Of our government
the liquor issue has never produced
constructive statesman worth men.
tioning and it never will 1t has sent
more freaks to Congress, Lilliputians
to the Senate and incompetents to
office than any other political issue
under the sun.
The recent experience Of the Eng
lish Parliament which lashed itself
into q fury over the liquor question
has a lesson that it Is well for the
farmers Of this nation to observe; for
the subject in some rm or other Is
constantly before the public for sou.
tion and ofttimes to the exclusion of
more important problems to the Amer
lean plowmen.
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 drink politically
and there are many American politi-
cians-pro and anti-who would render
their country a service by climbing
on the water wagon or signing pledge
OF political temperance. Too often
our legislative halls are turned into
political bar.rooms and many of the
members become intoxicated on liquor
discussions We have too many pollt.
ical drunkardS-pro and anti--in our
public affairs. No one who is slave
TO the political liquor habit iss quite
30 capable of dealing with the bust.
ness affairs Of government as the
sober and Industrious. We haYe 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-
trenohed in the mind Of politician.
ne is less capable Of meeting the de-
mands for constructive craftsmanship
now confronting this nation.
We have in this country toe many
red-nosed politicians-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
fibhould all be forced to take the polit-
ical Kelley Cure.
1t Is far more important in govern
ment to make 1t easier for those who
] toll to eat than to make 1t more diff.
\ ticult for 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 a
day. ..,.. !!
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