Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-07-28
A Patient People.
Eysss Yovk 1smes.l

anon Mt. Morgan would have been fol-
,4.a nv the arrest Of large numbers OF
.u,s,icsps. Even though the perpetrator
"a been. like Mr.. Morgan's assailant,
.-.a.ptly crack Drained Esalot, our en-
,...y would have had to labor day and
s;,b, for weeks TO deliver from confine-
IN, Americans having not the remotest
Connection with the crime and void OF all
.vmpathy with Il. There 10 no thought
many such procedure here, there is no
,.,k OF conspiracies, IL 10 the practically
unanimous Judgment that ths man calling
s,m.sn Holt was OF unsound mind, and
that he alone was responsible for his act.
ws note with surprise and regret, but
Without indignation, the strangely ambig-
,ou. tone Of the comment OF the Ger
,,.n.American newspapers upon the as
ault. They condemn II, Of course, every
ope mus, do that, but justify and defend
N. evil agitatious that worked upon the
diseased mind OF Holt until hs took 1t
mon himself to act.
An appeal has been made to the mayor
~ remove from the billbcards OF the city
The miscbievous, lying posters urging
that a stop be put TO the export Of arms
and munitions OF war. II Ii not to be
wondered at that these posters have pro-
yoked protest, but they are only tho sym
bol and outward evidences Of . reprchen-
sibIe spirit working almost uurebuked
among US which would ia any other coun-
try have been stamped upon at the outset.
Irnorsn, and foolish women, whose emo
t,cns haze been played upon and used for
their own purposes BY designing sgita-
sr demonstration. Tho real instigators
keep in the background. Men have been
sen, among us who have engaged almost
openly among orr people In conspiracies
to serve the ends Of foreign power.
These have paid little regard TO our laws,
and none whatever to the requirements OF
that decen, behavior which IL expected Of
strangers. They hare sometimes employ
ed criminal means, they have too often
rssosted TO methods that wsre little short
OF eriminaiify. There has bcen no end OF
plying into our af7airs, OF spying upon
Individuals and upon the business OF
Arms and corporations. In this service
passports bearing the seal OF our govern
neui have been forged or falsified, and
there Is a good deal OF evidence that In
other ways our neutrality laws have been
vet Al naugh;. We do not refer here to
those who came to engage in the propa-
ganda carried on by public uttoranccs up
on the platform or through the press.
While that work has been carried on with
unseemly persistence, nobody has had
any idea OF checking or supprcssing IL,
TOT line reason not only that We were quite
willing TO bear what these gentlemen had
TO say bat because 1t very early became
evident that tho propaganda was defeat
ing i,s oSn ends-it worked Just the other
way from the intent OF those who carried
il on.
The Iabors OF agitation which we have
In mind have been OF q more secret ma
tnrc. The agitators have often worked
through suggestion, as In the case OF the
posters OF which complaint has been made
10 TIE mayor. The agents OF that propa-
ganda have put into the heads OF foolish
women who are quite incapable OF under
standing the questions of law, OF right,
and Of Justice involved in the export OF
var supplies. false and perverted notion
Of the matter. They have persuaded
them that Americans engaged in this
brsneh OF manufacture aud commerce. are
guilty on the murder" OF those against
whom American war supplies may be
esse. When ideas OF mercy and human
isy find Judgment in such minds there Is
room TOT nothing eisc--shey become i'm
pervious TO lust conceptions OF law and
propriesy. So ths women who have organ
lied themselves 'sfor strict neutrality"
have been led 10 believe, and no doubt
they do sincerely believe, many OF them,
that they are doing holy work by cover
ing biliboards OF the city with posters
thai i our people were not so little given
been torn down as fast - they were put
up. The real responsibility for such do
ings rests not with the misguided women
oil the organization but With those who
have pu, them up to IL.
The open propaganda was carried on
VITA the evident belief that we needed
help In making up our minds about the
European war; the secret agitation In its
thousand impudent forms has been con-
Quoted as though this republic By organ
ned work and effort could be made mere
annex TO one Of the Powers engaged in
war, that nine-tentbs OF our people who
are oat OF sympathy with the purposes for
which that nation has gone to war could
De silenced by loud clamor or betrayed in
TO such confusion Of thought that help,
not hindrance, for the Power in question
would be the result. The underlying
thought and purpose Of the secret conspir-
stors have been reflected in tue tone OF the
Sefman- American newspapers, which
nave seemed TO be possessed OF the idea
mat any expression OF want OF sympa-
my with Germany was attributable to the
gold or the influences Of Germany's ene-
mics. The history, the traditions, the in
stitutinns OF our government, the Unborn
NM NJ x.f