The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1916-06-01
As TEE. E1DVTOEs SEES II.

as TEE. E1DgTOEs SEES ET.
The American people have one
distinct ana besetting 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 de-
monstrate the force of this state
ment you have but to glance at the
pages OF any OF the gre atpapers
Of the country. A sensation will
be sprung today and it will be blaz-
oned in big type over the first pages
of the press. Unless it's importance
is of tremendous magnitude tomor-
row will find itrelegated to an OBJ
scure corner Of the paper. 1t is for
gotten. About the only exception
to this rule is the newspaper story
that is reeking and slimly with
scandal. It holds the public eye
and is played up to the limit.
Preparedness is just now the
great and overshadowing question
before the great American people,
Everybody is talking about it, either
for or against A few months ago
monster peace parades We're held
in the large cities, and war and pre-
pardness against war we're denounc
edon every hand. Today you can
find scarcely a man who can tell
you the month in which one Of those
parades were held. They have been
forgotten. A few weeks ago New
York City held monster prepare
lness parade, in which 1000 peo-
pie participated. Chicago immed
lately followed suit with one of the
greatest parades in the history of
this country, all in the interest of
preparedness. Other cities, large
and SMALL all over the country
caught the fever and paraded for
preparedness. Governors proclaim
ed June Bird as Preparedness Day,
Ind everybody will march and shout
for preparedness. But these, tool
will be forgotten, for it is the way
of the American people to do to-
day and forget tomorrow
And as it is natural in affairs, so it
IS in the smaller confines of the To-
cal community. A rainy season
,omes along, country roads and un-
paved streets become muddy and
impossible, everybody raises his
voice in a loud and vociferous wall
or better roads and streets But
time soothes him into forgetfulness.
mud and the roads assume more nor
NAL conditions. Traffic is less i'm
peded and the citizen promptly turns
hi nff 70 MI
pressing matters of personal consid-
GRAFTON. The roads are forgotten
until the next rain falls.
Some one arises in public meet
ing and proposes practical scheme
for development of the commercial
interests of the community. He is
sincere and eager to do something
for the benefit of his home town.
He believes in prOgressiVeness.
His scheme looks good and sounds
better to other business men and
citizens and everybody begins to
talk in it's favor. The editor backs
it up in his columns and for a few
weeks it is the general topic of con-
No forceful leader seems
to be at hand, and the rest of us are
too engrossed in our private affairs
to assume the duties and respon-
sibilities of leadership. Time does
the rest, and a practical forward
is begged in the mire of
We might go on for hours citing
instances, for they are legion
in number and loo al inapplication.
But what's the use? You, too.
would read and ponder and exclaim
today and forget tomorrow. 1t
is our way. Americans are great
people and they perform prodigies
in the commercial inventive, and
world. No obstacal is
too great for them to surmount,
If time will only permit them to for
get to forget. But time is inexorible
in it's flight, and forgetfulness fol-
lows in the wake of American time.