The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1915-07-01
POLITICAL 4
AG|TATORs
POLITICIANS WHO CAPITALIZED
STRIFE A MENACE TO
GOVERNMENT.
Neglect Of Agricultural and industries;
Opportunities a National Crime
BY Peter Radford.

There never was q time In tho his
tory of this nation when We needed
statesmen more or agitators less than.
at the present moment. The opDor-
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. Tie 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
predominant in government. Too long
their hysterical cry has sent 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,
a crippled business an achievement or
neglect an accomplishment about
which any representative of the gov
ernment has a 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
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 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.
In the history Of our government.
the liquor issue has never produced
a 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 a fury over the liquor question
has lesson that 1t is we'll for the
farmers of this nation to observe; for
the subject in some form or other is
constantly before the public for solu-
tion and ofttimes to the exclusion Of
more important problems 70 the Amer
ican plowmen.
Too Many Political Drunkards.
Lloyd-Gecrge, 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
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 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 politician,
he is less capable of meeting the de-
mands for constructive craftsmanship
now confronting this nation.
We have in this country too 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
should all be forced to take the polit.
ical Keeley Cure.
It is far more important In govern,
ment to make it essier for those who
toll to eat than to make 1t more diff
fcult 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 q
day.