The Monte Vista journal., 1916-02-12

ing to satisfy himself in his own
way, running around like a chicken
in barnyard after a bug, he never
gets anywhere any more than the
chicken does.
1t is true that this organization Is
known out of the confines Of this
state. What you have accomplished
is not merely the tangible things ac-
complished throughout this vicinity,
but you are doing good service to
the people elsewhere. Wherever l
have been this winter. I never have
missed an opportunity to tell the
people about the Monte Vista Hog
Growers association and it's auxil-
iary, and l will not advertise any
body or any proposition II do not
think it deserves 1t.
Preparedness! That is the word
Of the hour. l am going to settle
this whole preparedness program;
settle it once and for all, right now
ten minutes and then I am done.
Preparedness ia all right in those
cases where the object sought Is in
harmony with the justice and the
good Of things. Preparedness for
any other purpose Is wrong. Now.
let me tell you what I mean. 1t Is
Wioh6 ioi q man " 6CI q anu
a sandbag and prepare to go out
house-breaking. 1t is wrong for a
bully to take advantage of the fact
that he is physically a fighter and
go out and try to bully his way
through the world, for the bully al
ways is taken to account, and Des-
tiny is waiting around the corner
with stuffed club for any man or
nation that undertakes to play the
part Of the bully.
Now then. there are lots Of times
when preparedness is folly-a waste
of time. For instance, a passenger
train is going down the track Your
feist dog runs down the track after
it, yelping, and finally loses the race.
He gives one yelp, looks around at
the sage-brush there and goes back.
Gaughter.) A boy In the train
turns around to you and says: Mis-
ter, what would that dog have done
with the train II he had got it?"
Some people seem to be always try
ing to catch something. and If they
got it. they would not know what to
do with 1t.
Now, 1t is we'll to be prepared for
a hog roast. Never was a hog pre-
pared with better appetite than I
well to be prepared with some pep
sin tablets in your vest pocket when
you go to a hog roast 1t is well to
be prepared when you drive n Ford
or an automobile. I will tell you
the truth about that.
1t is true that I did miss the train
in Denver, I missed that train by
three minutes. but you see am here
tonight. Now, how did I get here?
Why, I will tell you what I did. I
hired Ford machine. started out to
catch the Rio Grande. When we got
out at Larkspur we was going so
fast that although we sighted the
train / could not stop. Kept on to
Pueblo, and got there thirty minutes
before the train.
Yes, 1t is we'll to be prepared. For
all contingencies, all emergencies
that are worthy and upright and
just / want to say to you that that
rule never varies, but let that pre-
paredness, along whatever line II
may be, let II be in harmony with
the higher law. in harmony with uni
versal, equitable law, and You are
on the right road But let that pre-
paredness be along the line OF sell
| fsh ends, on the basis OF unjust prin-
| ciples, and disaster waits at the end.
I am not going into a discussion Of
this national preparedness, It is too
| big a subject. I just want to empha-
| size these: First, don't forget the
only nation OF antiquity that today
is intact is the nation that never pre-
pared for war-is China. China is
not much to boast Of, but It is still
there. If you prepare for war, you
will have war without any exception.
1t has always been that way. But.
on the other hand. II You don't pre-
pare for war, you may have It any
way.
You remember who It was said