The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-06-01
LORD NORTHCLIFFE ON THE U. S.


- n hs ~
Lord Northcliffe, British journalist and empire
watchdog, writes in the Metropolitan for May on
"A Friendly Talk About Your Out-of-Date Gov
eminent" referring to the United States.
Northcliff says the British government repre-
sents all classes of the community better than the
American government, and makes some good
points in substantiating his claims
After mentioning long list of men prominent
: in the British government who arose from the
common people-including Premier Lloyd George,
WEIGH commoner without college education
he remarks that the British government can be
ousted by the people at airy time if its policies do
not conform to the will Of the majority In our
country he points out, an administration has four
years of life whether tc policies conform with
popular approval or not; in England-and in the
colonies-it is customary 70 "go before he peo-
pie" on any great issue on which there is serious
agitation.
! For instance, when reciprocity between the
United States and Canada was agitated, the
American congress passed the reciprocity bill,
though it was not certain that the American peo-
pie favored it; and the agricultural population
| probably didn't. In Canada, however the then
Premier Laurier had to put the matter up to
vote of the people and it lost overwhelmingly.
With the vote the Laurier administration went
out of Office and the present Borden ministry took
hold
As one editor remarks in commenting on Lord
Northclffe's remarkable article, "That we have
tendency to get away from democratic ideals cam
not be denied. Americans seem to have an unde-
Unable respect for aristocracy especially the aris
tocracy of wealth. This is reflected in many ways,
especially in newspaper accounts. An example of
it is shown also by the Table of American Multi
Milionaires, run in the New York World Almanac.
The Vanderbilts, Goulds, Astors, Rockefellers,
Mackays, Morgans Havemeyers, Marshall Fields,
Du Points, Harrimans, Carnegies, Armours, Lor-
lards, Belmonts, Letters, Whitneys and Goelets,
their children grandchildren, etc., are listed in a
more thorough manner than is the royal family
of England"
Americans are justly touchy regarding the
greatness of their governmental system, and are
unwilling to believe that the British is more dem
cratic despite the good points MADE by North
cliffe We should take friendly criticisms to ac-
count however, because of the thinking they en-
gender With the exception of the four-years
term of every administration in our country
which is a constitutional provison-the other
criticisms of Northcliffe are based on other than
governmental developments. 1t remains with the
people and the newspapers to eliminate the snob-
berry that hinges upon wealth. If we stick to the
sound and just premise that "A man is a man for
that" and that "all men are born equal, with
inalienable rights" we'll soon discourage such
spectacles as quoted from the World Almanac.
IA M IA ma "a IA n IA
LOCAL PRIDE.
70 "a IA Pa
Residents of Greenwood take pride in their
schools, in their churches, in their public works
and improvements.
Every resident of Greenwood hopes for bet
terments and works for betterments as the years
pass.
In other words every Greenwood man is sup
posed to be a home booster.
/, But to create good community-one attrac-
tive to those living in it and those living around it
tax money is required.
And nothing produces tax money like local i'm
provements by private persons
The men who help pay our taxes and thus sup
port our institutions are entitled to encourage
ment in every way.
And the encouragement that counts most is
IA IA "a IA "a IA IA
WAR TAXES AND PRICE.FIXING.
"a IA IA "a
War taxes on manufactured articles as a rule |
are passed to the consumer.
The only restriction possible is-price-fxing.
And it is just this thing of price-fxing that
the government is considering.
Since the price-fxing bug struck congress
there has been considerable argument pro and con,
and able men and wise have visited the national
capital to guide" the lawmakers over the precip-
itous shoals.
Some concerns say they would be put out of
business if every article they sold would be taxed
from five to ten per cent and they were not per-
mitted to pass the per cent on to Mr.. and Mrs.
Ultimate Consumer
Perhaps that is true; and the government will