davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
CONTROL OF NATIONAL HOUSE.

A good deal Of attention Is beng
given to the close division OF pollti-
cal strength that will exist in the
house of representatives when con-
eress again assemblies. As the situa-
ton now stands the Republicans have
214 members, the Democrats 213, the
Progressives two, the Prohibitionists
and Socialists one each, and two are
classed as independents besides
which there are two contested seats,
these contests to be decided IN the
regular manner after congress meets.
1t thus appears that neither OF the
major parties will have a clear ma
jority and the "balance of control"
will be held by the handful of mem
bers representing the so-called minor
parties. Not even the settlement OF
the contested seats. moreover, will al
ter this rather remarkable situation,
for giving both to either the Demo-
Gratis or the Republicans will not fur
nish majority to those parties.
Many are inclined to regard this
situation as unfavorable to the best
interests of the country. They declare
it will make it difficult for the party
in power to carry out its program
and is likely to result in so-called
log-rolling and "playing politics. y
The result may mean the defeat Of
meritorious measures and the passage
of Objectionable legislation, subject,
of course, to the influence and checks
of the senate and the president. Even
some Republicans, in fact, do not hes
itate to express regret that the DEM
ocrats will fail to have working
majority in the next house. They ar
que that as the Democrats are in
control of the other branches Of the
government, it would be better If
they also had free rein in the house,
so that the onus of responsibility
would be clear to the people. And
there is something in this worth
thinking about.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
But he explains it

Of recklessness. But he explains it
will be equally unwise-even danger
ous-to cultivate, or encourage, an
actual feeling Of fear and apprehen-
sion concerning what the future may
have in store for this country and its
interests.
Mr.. Reynolds nicely summarizes
this thought in the following ex-
preston, which should be carefully
studied to get his full meaning. He
says: Notwithstanding the necessl-
ty for caution, it seems to me that
too many people are borrowing trou-
BILE about the extent and the sudden
ness of the readjustment that will oc-
cur after peace is declared. Caution
is one thing; the creation OF public
fear is quite another. This country
will continue to raise crops and make
and sell goods, and the sooner we
reach the conclusion that the cessa-
ton of hostilities in Europe will be
the best thing that can happen to
the business world the better"
The whole idea, in other words, is
that the American people must COM
bine confidence with caution in pre-
pairing for the conditions to be faced
at the conclusion of the great war,
and they must avoid both extremes
of sheer recklessness and downright
fear And if the people-particular
ly the business men and bankers-ot
this land heed and follow this ad.
there is every reason to be-
lieve the success and prosperity of
this nation will receive scarcely a
jolt in the readjustment sure to fol-
low the war, which, of course, is the
sincere hope of every patriotic citi-
zen.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
Advertising.

The business man who does not ad-
vertise. simply because his grandfath-
er did not. should wear knee breeeh-
es and queue. The business man
who does not advertise because it
costs money, should quit paying sal
aries for the same reason. The bus
mess man who does not advertise be-
cause he tried it once and failed,
should throw away his cigar because
the light went out. The business man
who does not advertise because he
doesn't know how to write adver-
tisements should stop eating because
he cant cook. The business man who
does not advertise because somebody
said it did not pay, should not be-
heve the world is round, because the
ancients said it was fat. The bust
ness man who does not advertise be-
cause he cannot know absolutely that
it is going TO pay, should commit
suicide to avoid being killed by ae-
cident. The business man who does
not dvertise but persists in keeping
to the old. untidy, wasteful and in
effet 81. methods, because they cost
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
OTHERS OPINIONS
. 1. + + + + 4. + + + + + + + +
Be a Guide Post.

I'd rather be a guide-post, direct
ing humanity along the pathway that
leads to bigger and better future,
than a tombstone, depicting a relic of
the times and things that were.
I'd rather have a living, breath
ing knowledge Of being useful unit
in humanity's scheme than to have
people murmur vainglorious praise
over my deaf and mouldering clay.
I'd rather have a few of the com
mon flowers of earth offered me by
some one had helped over thorny
hedge and through Il trying moment;
some one to whom | had proven a
harbor of refuge in time of stress,
than to have garlands of sweetest
roses banked against my mound when
life is done.
I'd rather eat the crust of power
ty in peace and quietude, knowing it
had been earned by the sweat of hon
est toll, than to absorb the rich foods
of an effulgent nature, gathered by
the struggling many and moistened
with the tears and sighS and means
of sor1owing world.
I'd rather be a guide-post. plain
and weather-beaten. but of use to all
who journey along life's lonely high
way. than to be a tombstone, carved
from choicest marble, erected in Il
secluded spot of the silent city of
the dead.
I'd rather see fellow-creature 5
face light up with Joy and gladness
at some kind deed I had done, than
to have the word of sympathy utter
ed to those left behind when the
sound of erunching wheels is heard
out front and the plumed chariot
rolls slowly along the road toward
the green spot on the hill.
I'd rather feel the warm clasp of
friendly hand: hear the whispered
thanks of risen brother; see the
sunshine of love banishing the dark
clouds of SORROW and strife and re-
morse than to be the possessor of
earth's greatest riches. envied, hated
and ostraeised by all cursed with a
consuming loneliness and abandoned
to the engul6ng silence of the private
chamber.
I'd rather be a gnide-post than
tombstone And so had youi-Ash-
land Tidings.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
COMMUNICATION
Writes of Iowa.
Greene, Iowa, Jan. 3, ls

Greene, Iowa, Jan. 3, 1917.
Editor Polk County Observer:
/ received my regular semi-week-
ly letter this morning, the Observ-
er. 1t is a welcome visitor and |
read every line in esevry issue of it.
We arrived here December q, after
having stopped at Nampa, Idaho, for
two days and at Omaha for two days.
1t has been pretty cold here for a
webfooter, the thermometer having
registered as low as 20 degrees below
zero, but it has turned warmer and
we have about six inches OF snow
now. There seems to be just as many
autos running, however, as any other
kind of vehicle.
But if the thermometer does get
low, living is high enough. Pota-
toes are So per bushel here, flour
$3.50 per sack of SO pounds, corn
S11b cents per bushel, oats 4712 cents
per bushel and everything in pro-
portion. Old Webfoot is good enough
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
Wishing Will Not Built Good Roads.

"Do YOU realize what tremendous
loss of money there is annually in
this state on account of roads being
located by guess work, of intrusting
the execution of our road programs to
men ignorant of the Importance of
grade and alignment oblivious to the
absolute necessity for adequate and
proper drainage and unqualified in
every way to supervise the labor of
other men," said Rufus Holman to
the Good Roads conference at o. A.
C. last week.
ga road is a structure and should
be designed by skilled highway en-
gineer Just as an edifice of equal cost
planned in all its details. in advance
of its construction. by an architect
employed for the purpose. The best
use to which we can put the public
funds is, in my opinion, to exchange
them for good roads-roads which
can be travelled with heavy loads safe
ly and surely every day in the year
and all hours Of the night.
incompetent men or timid men
can not build such roads; nor can
men seeking public favor. with one
ear to the ground ready to change
their course with the first rumble of
opposition. None of the things of
this world which have survived for
generations have been built by cow
ards. A road properly located should
remain without relocating for centur-
les although the wearing surface will
need replacing from time to time. The
great loss is not in maintaining the
surfaces of our roads so much as 1t
is in the expense incident to reloeat-
ing a road from one faulty location
to another. The most economical plan
in road work. as in all other work. is
to build the best You can in the first
place. always of course realizing the
traffic needs, using the road and the
demands which it makes upon the
road. | venture to say that we of
Oregon have spent upon our roads
from the beginning of the work to
date sufficient amount of money and
labor that if it had all been spent
efficiently, we would have today a
system of roads from one end of the
state to the other and from the. cen
tiers of population and market towns
to the remote rural sections which
would exeell the roads of any other
state IL - union as they exist today.
How much longer are we TO continue
frittering away eur road funds In
make shift foolishnessq
"Last summer I drove from Port
land through Newberg. McMinnville,
Dallas. Corvallis. Albany. Salem.
Oregon City to Portland. and " w4yrev-
er there was good drainage there was
at least a fair road and where there
was poor DR. mage there was no road,
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
IT'S THE "PACE THAT KILLS.

The American people rather pride
themselves on their "push' and en-
ergetic activities, yet statistics seem
to show they pay rather heavy pen
atty for their tendency to rush
through life and perhaps neglect
their physical well being. For in
stance, figures presented at the re-
cent annual meeting of life insur-
ance presidents, held at New York,
show that the average age of Ameri-
cans at death is only forty-three
years, and, further, that of 1,3OO,OOO
Americans annually examined for life
insurance, 100000 are rejected for
physical disabilities. This indicates
to these experts in mortality that
American people are literally rushing
to their graves. A slower pace, they
intimate, would delay arrival at the
destination.
f. E. Rittenhouse, of the Equitable
Life Assurance society, said the
death rate was rapidly increasing. He
laid it to too great haste, too little
exercise, a marked tendency to i'm
pair digestion by eating food hard
to digest and disposition not to be
examined by doctor until down
sick.
1t was brought out that while the
American proclivity for rushing
through his business affairs had a
tendency to keep down weight the
heavy, fattening foods he eats so
much more than counterbalance it
that he is apt to take on fat and it
was stated that with every pound of
excess weight accumulated the coming
of the undertaken is cOrrespondingly
FASTENED.
IF there is anything in the Darwin
ian theory, it is likely that our re-
mote ancestors, swinging from limb
to limb through the trees, led lives of
almost ideal health. When they left
the trees for the caves, it is prob
able they underwent high mortality
rate until their bodies adjusted them
selves to the changed conditions. And
it may be that we Americans are now
suffering a similar experience in
changing from physically active lives.
chiefly out of doors, TO physically in
active lives, chiefly indoors.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

farm. Keep them away from the
city and the curse of the card index
system of urban business" advised
Bishop Walter Taylor Sumner of
Portland at the O. A. C. convention
last week, in an address on "Effic-
lent Citizenship"
Use of school-houses as social cen
tiers in the work of making farm
life more attractive was urged by
Bishop Sumner. More attention to
the socializing aspects of education
was declared as necessary i'll both
city and country. efficient citi-
zenship demands certain definite
qualities" he asserted. knowledge,
loyalty and action are characteristics
which must be possessed by the bulk
of the voting population if we are
to deal adequately with the problems
forced on us by changing conditions. "
Immigration, brought on by peace
after the war situation clears in Eur
ope, will bring to the Pacific coast
an alien population for which an ad-
equate system of care and distribu-
tion must be devised Changing ideals
present an ethical condition fraught
with possible serious consequences. In
the unrest of today, Bishop Sumner
sees the dominance of the idea of
"the supreme reality of that which
we feel and see and apprehend with
the senses"
Speaking of recent visit to the
east, the speaker said: "People seem
to have gone mad, drunk and intoxi-
Gated with the over supply Of wealth
that is pouring in at the price of hui
man Blood Desire for wealth leads
to adulteration of goods, exploitation
Of child labor, degeneracy of art
and literature to the point where "ge-
MUS stands in the market place with
its soul for sale.'
Out of these conditions arise the
problems of the day. Foremost among
them is the right of the child to be
well born. Bishop Sumner commend
ed highly the action of the state OF
Oregon in making the presentation OF
health certificate a prerequisite to
the issuance of marriage license.
The use of Intoxicating beverages is
another problem in which Oregon has
shown progressive spirit.
"The efficient citizen" said Bish-
op Sumner, "is the man who will
give of himself and of his best, that
children may be born, that they may
be well born, and that being born,
they may have square deal and an
equal chance in life; he is the. man
who will sacrifice his ease and his
pleasure to the end that there may
be efficient administration of the gov
ernment. and that he may give heed
to the moan of the needy and sinful;
he is the man whose knowledge and
whose loyalty will be formulated in
terms Of action. "
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
EXTREMES TO BE AVOIDED.

A word of valuable and important
advice is given to the American peo-
pie by Mr.. George NJ. Reynolds, prom
inent banker and financial expert of
Chicago. in discussing the business
outlook for this nation after the con-
eIusion of the European war. Mr..
Reynolds frankly says that "big
problems confront this country, and
he regards it as highly essential that
proper prudence and caution be ex-
ercised. Never before, he declares,
were there so many reasons for urg-
ing conservatism and the avoidance
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

for me as I prefer |
air of Oregon to Y
of the east.
l met a brother
rette and he says
ing to winter here
L will close by WI
las friends a happ
New Year. Yours
GEO
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
Sherwood Made Rood

l.. C. Sherwood Of Rick
ty warden at the state p
under Warden Miqto BIZ
to Rickreall to live and
made road SUPERVISE forb
by the county court.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
Ramsey Wants

Judge William Ra1i1s4y
vile is a candidate 16f
trict judge in Hawai-
sey has practiced forR1nx|
Oregon. He was appoints
preme bench of Oregon b
nor Oswald West.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

Additional gold imports of $25, ,000,-
900 were reported from New York one
day recently, breaking previous rec
ords of this kind. And there was a
time when it used to give bankers and
fnanciers the shivers, if gold exports
from this country amounted to as
much as $5,OOO,OO0 in whole month.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

less than the "up-to-date" kind,
should wear blue jean overalls be-
cause they are cheaper than good
tailor-made clothing.-Coos Bay
Times.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

Tom Lawson intimates that insid-
ers cleaned up $60,0O0,000 on ad-
vance information of the president s
recent peace note. And no doubt
Tom will also modestly admit that he
got his share.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
Consider Road Alter ~

The county court viii q
petition for a road altera
as-Monmouth road, as
F. w. Bell and otl1exs 3
1ruary term. The petitit
ceived this week.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

The general health of President
Wilson is said to be better than it
has been for several years. Some
men seem to thrive on troubles, which
would drive other men to distraction,
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

After all, life is full of compensa-
tons. Just think what it would mean
if you had to buy fuel and ice at the
same time.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

Cheer up! Even Uncle Sam has
found himself trihe short of ready
money.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

just lot of bumps and dust between
two fences. Every foot Of that road
should at least be well drained; it has
been there a long, long time and pass
es through a dense population and a
rich fertile and beautiful country
all the way. Think what the exces-
sive cost of transportation along
those roads must be at all seasons of
the year and particularly in the win
ter time which is usually the most
advantageous time for the farmer to
dispose of his crops and then think
how many years the users of those
roads have been paying that excessive
transportation cost! Apparently they
don t realize what it is costing them
or they would remedy the conditions.
And yet no doubt if the county courts
of the counties concerned would tear
into those roads in really masterful
way they would be promptly recalled
by surprised and startled constit-
uency alarmed at the magnitude OF
the expenditures necessary for such
work.
"In this state for generations we
have been assailed by demagogues
who have harped upon low taxes and
high taxes. The amount of taxes is
not so much the point as what is pur-
chased for the public good with the
taxes. They never 60 into that phase
of the subject.
Gentlemen, I am for good roads,
but you can't get them by wishing
for them
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09

for them. -
Suver, Ore, Jan. 4, 1917.
Editor Observer, Dallas.
Allow me to answer the gentleman
who wrote under the heading, 1.-The
Only Salvation,' in the issue of jan
uary 2, in the Observer, on the sub
iect of increase of license Of automo-
biles to pay for road improvement.
At present most of us pay yearly
license of $3 for autos; the proposal
to double this hereafter might not be
unreasonable, everything considered,
but now along comes "Oregon Vot-
er" in "a recent issue and proclaims
to the world the very interesting
statement that the already overbur-
dened property taxpayer should not
have to pay for good roads but that
such a great doubling and trebling OF
the auto tax should come as will
build and keep up good roads.
Does the said "Oregon Voter
realize the injustice of laying blame
to the innocent automobile for all the
bad roads? Does he stop to think
that he is advocating more expenses
for the taxpayer when he proposed an
auto tax three or four times what 1t
is now? For who owns automobiles
but taxpayer? And who will have
the added license to pay but the tax
payer?
Besides, why impose license on
the automobile any more than on the
wagon, or the carriage or the various
other kinds of vehicles which are to
be found on our public highways?
There is such thing as being con-
sidered reasonable, but You know
there is limit and let's keep with
in the limit, if possible.
There are some laws which il ex-
amined properly would be positively
unconstitutional and very unjust. ]
take it that the man fortunate enough
or unfortunate enough to own an au-
to is willing to bear just proper
ton of the cost of good roads, but
Just because he wishes to travel or
give his family the pleasure OF rid
ing in car as others do, he should
not be expected to bear all the blame
or pay all the cost of the road on
which he already pays his just share
of taxes.
There is such thing as extrava-
gance and waste of public money in
building roads; for instance, one mil
lion dollars or more is said to have
been already expended on the Colunl-
bia highway from Portland down the
river. The railroad paralleling the
said highway cost only about the
same amount in its building. This
highway is impassasle now. The sur
veying and preliminary work, and
the pay for unnecessary officials IN
the building thereof squeezed so much
out of the original sum that at pres
ent the road is only begun in fact.
Let us strive for efficiency and
economy in our public road work and
not blame or assess all the cost to the
automobiles.
G.. A. PETERSON.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-09
Efficient Citizenship.

"Keep the boy and girl on the
The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-11-17
sy Il. C. HAMILTON

Omitted Press stan Correspondent.)
NEW YORK, Nov. 17--Sunny Cali
fornia- scene OF so many historic bat
ties OF the padded fist, again IS the
reckoning finger from the box office
California. with its legalized four
round exhibition bouts Is drawing the
best or the nations boxers
Ted Lewis. Willie Richie. and many
others are there. The list Is growing
and they like fl in California. Shades
Of past day and again glove-wielding
VIII California again have law that
will permit boxing2 Is the present con-
vention of high-eIass boxers the fore
runner OF an attempt to juggle Cali
fOrnias legislature into line. or bring
the thing down to a popular vote?
California went through the period of
box-office manipulation. and tho slip
pery-handed efforts Of certain promot-
ers that put the game on the fritz in
New York. and California probably viii
think 1t over q long time before she
again starts such thing. But Cali
fornia is tho ideal spot for bouts.
Fighting made California a soughtout
state. The tourist made it more his
goal, than ever has been the case since
If California does come back into the
dwindlIng circle Of spots where boxing
contests can legally be staged. ii will
be with a real boxing law. in the opin-
ion Of majority of fight followers
Some of the best-posted men in the
game make California their home. and
they will bend their efforts toward TAX
ing the game back with clean road
ahead OF II. L doubtless Will not be q
decfsionless law that they viii attempt
TO have spread on the records. They
know the result of no-decision lighting
as practiced in the states that now per
nit i. and they will 60 far around
this barrier TO good bouts. Ten rounds
may be the limit of the bill. or it may
be made even lower. but decision
probably viii be tackled to the end.
CALIFORNIA; days Of boxing saw the
hey-dey Of the sport in this country.
Even the days Of the old Coney Island
club. where Fitzsimmons and Jehries