The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-06-08
AS THE EDITOR SEES IN.


The American people have one
distinct and besettlng popularity.
They think today and forget tomor-
row. In this respect they probably
are unlike any other nation of peo-
pie on the face OF the globe. To dem
onstrate the force OF this statement
you have but 10 glance at the pages
OF the great papers OF the country. A
sensation will be sprung today and
II will be blazoned In big type over
the first pages OF the press. Unless
its importance is OF tremendous mag
nitude tomorrow will find II relegat-
ed to an obscure corner Of the paper
II is forgotten. About the only ex-
ception TO this rule is the newspaper
story that is reeking and slimy with
scandal. II holds the public eye and
is played up to the limit.
Preparedness is Just now the great
and overshadowing question before
the American people. Everybody Isl
talking about u, either for or against.
A few months ago monster peace
parades were held In the large cities,
and war and preparedness against
war we're denounced on every hand.
Today you can find scarcely n man
WHO can tell you even the month In
which one OF these parades was held
They have been forgotten, A few
weoks ago New York City held n
monster preparedness parade, In
which $4,000 people participated
Chicago Immediately followed sut
with one OF the greatest parades In
the history OF this country, all In
the intc-est Of preparedness. Other
cities. large and small. all over the
country caught the fever and parad-
ed for preparedness. Governors pro-
claimed June 3 as Preparedness Day,
and everybody marched and shouted
for preparedness. But these, too,
will be forgotten, for Il Is the way OF
the American people to do today and
forget tomorrow.
And as IL Is In national affairs,
so Il Is in the smaller confines of
the local communit' 4 rainy sea-
son comes along. country roads and
unpaved town streets become muddy
and impossible. and everybody raises
his voice I'm loud and yociferous
wall for better roads and streets, But
time soothes him into forgetfulness.
The rains cease, the sun dries mp the
mud and the roads assume more nor
NAL conditions Traffic is less inn
peded aud the citizen promptly turns
his attention to other and more press
ing matters OF personal considera-
tion. The roads are forgotten un-
an the next rain falls.
The red tongues of flame sweep /
over town and destroy a good sec
tion of territory. Thousands and
thousands of dollars are swept away |
and the people rave and storm over
the lack of adequate protection from
loss by fire. The tumult of indigna-
tion is at fever heat for few days.
and then begins to subside, Time
only is needed TO send IL, too, into
the realm of forgetfulness, until the
next fire comes along and crea les
even greater devastation and death
1t is easy to forget
Some one arises in public meet
ing and proproses practical scheme
for development of the commercial
interest of the community. lie is
sincere and eager to do something |
for the benefit of his home town.
lie believes in progressiyeness His
scheme looks good and sounds better
TO other business men and citizens
and everybody begins to talk in its
favor. The editor backs II up in his
columns and for a few weeks II is
the general topic of conversation,
No forceful leader seems to be at
hand, and the rest of us are too en-
crossed in our private affairs to as
sume the duties and responsibilities
of leadership. Time does the rest
and a practical forward movement is
begged in the mire of forgetfulness,
We might go on for hours citing
similar instances, for they are legion