Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1915-01-04
A FAREWELL TO THE OLD YEAR.

December 81. 1914. The last throes
Of the death agony Of this eyentiul
year are almost due Only a short
time now and the events Of this
period marking the age OF the world
will be as a history of the dark ages.
How sad the old year is, in these
final hours, before he is laid away In
the great tomb where slumber the
records OF time.
Born in the midst Of floods and dis.
aster. the young giant began his
reign. Like a scourge he has swept
through all lands, destroyer Of
peace. bearer OF destruction, a
bringer of heartache and poverty to
millions OF people, who stroye with
him in vain for one single blessing
one smile OF peace from the months
which have marked his passage, a
cruel blight OF fond hopes has been
Ills gift to men. A year Il has been
to try the souls OF men. 4 year when
want stalks abroad. a year when
widows and orphans starve and cry
aloud to God because Of their slain.
when mothers tremble for husband
and son on the great battlededs.
Deshtution. sorrow and death all
follow in the wake Of the dying old
year. Let him depart IN silence. don't
ring glad chimes. Why? when the
wicked reign the people mourn"
Il lay in the power Of few to pre-
cipitate a Nationwide war. The in
genuity Of man has devised, perfect
ed cruel instruments OF death, and
on land, on sea and from the air
death-dealing missiles are thrown. Al
the behest of whom? Just men who
are clothed with authority TO say
Co" and he goe;h. or Come anC
he cometh, He speaks and millions
rush to the lannon's mouth to slal
and be slain. What for? They have
not a very clear idea OF the reason
but patriotism Is supposed 10 be The
moving principle. And yet these mel
/ have no grudge against each other
They lay down their lives for a BIZ
of a rag that their masters may eX
tend their territory, to increase theil
power for exploitation. Those wh'
escape death will return to thei
desolated homes, many of them main
ed and broken in flesh and spirit. t
take up their struggle Of wrestini
from the earth and those who posses
II Just a living.
The poor soldier Of Europe and tn
poor cotton planter Of the South vii
not soon recover from the disaster
OF 1914.
And vet the Kings and diplomat
OF Europe are not more responsible
for that carnival of death beyond IN
sea than are our high financiers, who
having absorbed all the gold q
America, use their power to destro
markets at home and plunge our pei
pie into despair, our merchants int
bankruptcy. for all of the tale is nc
vet told, all the havoc not We
wrought. To have the producers
the worlds wealth slain and robbie
is like killing the goose that lays tn
golden egg.
Many times recently we have hear
the question asked, What are yo
going to do?" The answer is alwal
the same: 81 don't know what ] a,
going to do or what can do Bl
all are of the same mind abou; on
thing. If mother earth is responsi'
and kind another year will chan!
the nature of the query, for full BARI
and smokehouses will solve the que
ton which puzzles so many now.
. will be all right for Mr.. Farmer. Mo
: of them have some sense left b
for the factory people who earn the
living by the manufacture of Il
' South's great staple crop, 1t will n
| be so we'll They know how to ca
a living wage by machine method
but nothing of the earth methc
| which is the foundation Of all civi
cation.
| That cotton is worth zoe per poul
in Germany and other countri
proves manipulation Of the mark
here. The price we get brings bar
ruptcy to the producer of it and
his friend, the merchant, for the far
err believes the merchant to be
friend,
To sum up, we have all fallen in
the hands of the grafters and W
lords. Restrain them of their libel
, to do evil in 1915. VI. /. NJ