Osage County Volksblatt. (Westphalia, Mo.) 1896-1917, 1916-07-13

OASIS u tue only form OF &0urnaIBm
that understands and carries ost this
principle; md % an hones prsnciple
and ssefhod Il owes the tremendoes
power II w5clds sser the minds and con
duct of the 1se0ple. OF rosrse Ms not
exactly the lay press to conplacentiy
and paternaily 90 decide In what sub
ject the public shall or shall not be
educated, though Il Is one Of our best
medium to give an outline, Is 10
thought and an initiative on which
people can improve TO their own belief
what the public needs, and rightfuliy
demands, l. that the salient facts and
truths Of conditions as they exist, or
may exist, or transpire, be freely and
frankly laid before them, The lay press
simply select AID present to the reading
public such uews In their departments
as their editorial judgement finds in
teresting. and from an unconscious ab-
sorption and assimilation Of these items
the public learns its lessons and forms
its habits Of thought. No Intelligent
layman, will question that the exploit
tation Of our daily topics now being
given by the lay press Is utterly unsa-
tisfactory. The sporadic items Of in
formation upon our present issues APP
pearing from time to time In the dsl-
~ papers, are Of 80 grotesquc a chsrar-
ter that they would bs ludicrous II they
were not 50 serious. Under present con-
dhions II Is fairly certain that the pub
licsiands no chance Of receiving through
the public press any proper enlighten-
ment upon matters pretainlng to pro-
per political ISSUES. Yet Il Is equally
ce tain that the lav press 10 the only
agency by which such public partneI-
ship In polite rs well as IN any other
topic can be adequately achieved, for
il ID on the whole, elean and hone rable
and the most adequate agsn'y of pub
lie dissemination = the agency which,
in spite Of all it, faults and abuses the
great commonizer Of human knowledge.
the clea-ing house Of human progress
etc. No man, and no class OF Ineu.
liveth 10 himself. he il only an integral
part Of the whole commonwealth. Udr
independence n an integral part, should
bs backed up by good reason and logic,
and not by spite, malice, jealousy
hereditary tendencies, circumstance
and conditions, that may lead mar
astray. and cause him to sin unneces-
sarilly. \ constant attitude Of rcproot.
spiritual anJ intellectual pride. never
being mistaken, expecting Others IL
think just a. you dc, by eating and
drinking yourself according to youl
Wi>hcS. while denouncing the other fel-
lows privilege in the same line. think
ing that all humanity should conforuI
to uniform standards. And the creates,
! of all virtues consists in miEding one,
own business so well that II is an eA-
ample TO the world. Il often occur,
when man ot great merit. Is cast a.
side, because "t political views And
otherwise, through kindlinc>s Of heart
and knowlrdgs Of human nature, ont
who to-day is conspicuos for his deNin,
and fidelity and whose superior talent
has been notably displayed in >crvNt
IL hi> benefactor and human kiud, II
i to often the ease Of the material
void 10 judg of fslloNmen a> oi dumb
cattle and ~ irretrieyciy obscure 4
struggling houest heart.
The honest PRAYER Of the general lay
man
q God, pray that may have ab.o-
lute intellectual honesty lset vtaer,
humble. shuttls and eyaie, but let IN,
,leavc To the clean truth, as>uiur Il,
knowledge | have not. Cleanse N,
from all Iredulities, ak tatuoU> en;ht>i.
asm. all stnbhornne>s, vanity, egoti.m