The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-07-16
POLITICAL
AGiTATORs
POLITICIANS WHO CAPITALIZE
STRlFE a MENACE TO
GOVERNMENT.
Neglect Of Agricultural and Industrial
Opportunities q National Crime.
BY Peter Radford.

| There never was q 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 70
predominate in government. Too long
their hysterical cry has sent a shiver
dowp the spinal column OF industry.
Too long have the political agitators
capitalized strife. pillaged progress
| and murdered opportunity. An indus
trial corpse Is not desirable thing.
crippled business an achievement or
| neglect an accomplishment about
which any representative OF the gov
| ernment has q right to boast
Issues that Breed AsItators Should be
Eliminated.
The political agitator must be elm
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
iB IN no sense discussion of the H.
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
oAtheir Importance.
In the history OF our government
the liquor Issue has never produced
constructive statesman worth men,
CsaiR6 and II never will II has sent
4tpgf froaks to Congress-, LAliputians
- bks Senate and incompetents te
01aSs than any other political fssue
u0dor the sun.
TIE recent experience of the Eng
lish Parliament which lashed itself
into fury over the liquor question
has a lesson that 1t Is we'll for the
farmers Of this nation to observe; for
the subject in some form OF other is
constantly before the public for solu-
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 q 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'a pledge
of Apolitical 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 polit-
ical drunkards-pro and anti-in our
public affairs. No one who is slave
| to the political liquor habit is quite
SIC 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 statesmanship
now confronting this nation.
We have In this country too many
red-nosed politicians-both pro and
anti. A candidate with political deli.
rum tremenA a preacher with politi-
| cal snakes in his boots and an agitator
| drunk on the liquor question are the
| eaddest sights in civilization and they
should all be forced to take the polit-
| ical keeley Cure.
| 1t is far more important in govern.
1 ment to make 1t easier for those who
toll to eat than to make IL more diff
ficult for few topers to drink. There
| Is not one person In one hundred OF
our rural population that ever touches
liquor but we all esta three times y
day.