The Denver star., 1916-02-26
UNCLE ABE WRITES ON The
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

In thinking of something to write
about this week l want to write Oh
something to think about, and in cast
ing around for material, l can think
of nothing so timely as writing about
the signs of the times. Some people
turn up their noses at signs and others
turn up their toes for paying no at
tention to them. l believe in signs
more or less, especially such signs as
stand out as plain as freckles on
pretty girls nose. Whenever you see
a few self-constituted, self-selected,
self-elected leaders meeting in the
back end of barber shops with the
curtains down, with a bouncer at the
doors, it's a sure sign that they are
Matching up a scheme to corrall the
colored voters and to sell them to the
highest bidder who will give them
job.
Whenever you are met by profess
sional politicians who make their Hy-
ing by politics and they invite you to
ioin some organization at which they
are the head ana promise you money,
Jobs and everything the devil prom
ised the Savior, to come and vote with
them, it's a sure sign that they are
not working for the good of the col
ored people, but are only trying to use
the colored voters under disguise to
further their own selfish ends.
Whenever you see candidates for Of
flee swinging around the circle OF our
"meetin' houses talking politics to
our people, it's a sure sign that they
take only spasmodic interest in us. All
the time before they sit in their comS
Portable offices of power and read the
newspapers daily of the lynching and
burning of innocent men, women ana
children and the destruction OF their
homes, school house and churches and
there is not a word of sympathy, not
a line of protest about the violation OF
the laws of the land. But when some
colored man violates the prohibition
law we are told that we must do as we
did in slavery, tell Massa John up at
the big house that Sam stole ham Of
meat, thus making a race of "snitch-
ers" of US when they hire men and
pay them for doing police duty, it's q
sure sign that all sucn politicians
think we have no integrity and self
respect aid that we are easily duped
to allow them to ride again on us into
Office.
Whenever you see a woman coming
down the street with her skirt slash
ed" to the knee and no petticoat on,
it's a sign that the poor female has
had row with Madam Modesty and
split her frock SO she can run faster
and get to perdition quicker.
Whenever you see society turning
up its nose at a girl who has gone
wrong, and is receiving into the front
parlor the scoundrel who accomplish
ed her ruin, it's a sign that such So
ciety needs reconstructing by having
its hypocritical insides drenched with
a solution of CASTLE soap and carbolic |
acid.
l could go on in this fashion indefi-
nitely, citing signs that are significant
of things. People don't need consult
Sihyllian books to study the signs OF
the times, the signs are everywhere
e eyident, they are in our homes, around
our firesides, in our churches, on the
highways and in the byways. They
manifest themselves in our court
houses, in politics and in our business.
They show through the pale counte-
nance of the poor and idle; they re-
veal themselves through the wanton
extravaganza of those who pass more
money than manhood, or common
sense. They are manifested in the
grinding, restless state of society the
world over. Now, the question is, Will
we face the avalanche and let the
devil take the hindmost man? What
shall we do to be saved? That's the
all-consuming and burning question?
Every fellow has remedy, but think
they are all shooting wild. What we
need more than anything else is
heart tonic" something that will
stimulate our honesty and paralyze
our selfishness and hate. Something
that will put the love of God in our
hearts and the fear of the devil before
our eyes Yes, heart tonic is the only
remedy 1t will teach meekness and
forgiveness and create within the
spirit of friendship. We've got to get
right within and political straddling,
political bossism and political the
cries, policies and platforms and isms
have no more to do with mems hon.
esty than binding pancakes on the
bottom of a mans feet will satisfy
him when he is hungry.
Since wet goods and whisky are
dead issues, let US campaign for a
stock of heart tonic.