Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-06
xEnAcE AND REMEDY.

CUxlOQS Win UcCNu0AS~. I.
In an eloquent plea for a return o.
tx patriotism and cooperation wnicn
mace the foundation OF this repunhc
possible, Mr.. Clark referred to the iat-
ter day tendency to disturb the puDhc
mind with doctrines of distrust as oe-
tween factions in America, ana 10 Sc.
Z current Of hostile sentiment against
every enterprise which is successful
enough to be included by its critics m
the so-called capitalistic class.
He traced the career of the reform
or. Who has enjoyed his I'LL of popu.
lality and hero worship as the reward
fOr his ability to conceive some new
extravagance in legislation. The re-
suit. he said, was to bring the nation
TO the very threshold of war in con-
tiition which was ''the natural result
az vague, incorporate, impulsive and
radical enactments, which invariably
lead to confusion, distrust and d1sas'
ter"
This multiplicity and stringency OF
statutes" he continued. "is not an evi-
dence Of national greatness, but a sign
Of national weakness, even q forerun-
AZ national decadence.
Buld Il 3ep-ge, you say, and indeed.
It Il bold Fit is no less true. And
unless the s-&ople Of Ar erica under
stand that teir governw 1t Is face to
face with 1 crisis at ht 20 as well as
abroad, they must suffer an awaken
Ing ut no distant future time which
viii Re Z ruder shock by far than any
which could come from without to an
~ lited America through the medium
The rcformer J IS had his day He
has. achieved n opularity with the
thinking people Of America, but the
vicious fruits Of his labors are TO De
found in the statutes of every state
and OF the nation, in the records OF
bsnlruptcy courts. in the lowering OF
the standards by which men are
measured for oficial position, IN the
distrust with which so many OF our
people view every man whose re-
sources are greater than theirs. in the
unreasoninE prejudice against indus
trial development, in the exorbitant
demands which many classes OF labor
are making for wages which can be
Maid only when the employer wrests
the extra money from the consumer.
The deplorable situation with regard
d The nationwide shortage OF coal, H.
illustrates the last named condition.
The reformer, in the, past decade.
has ridden roughshod over business OF
every sort, and the paternalistic atti-
,de to which the government is
A reed at this time is the logical result
al the, reformer's excesses. 1t has
Be n FASTENED by the war, but it would
hate come anyway, and the war may
be thanked for precipitating the condi-
ton II the public will only awaken to
the true facts and realize the exist
ence of a crisis which is entirely dis
tinct from international affairs.
The reformer appealed to the rab-
Bile. and the rabble has responded by
the elevation Of the socialist as the
standard bearer for all those elements
in American life which personify dis
sension, obstruction, destruction and
menace. Never was there an emblem
selected with more absolute appro-
priateness than the red flag of danger
to which the socialist and the anar-
chist pay homage.
The remedy for the threatening con-
dition is plain. America is sane. Her
people are sober-minded, given an OPP
nortunity to reason for themselves.
Reasoning thus, and summoning to
their aid all the profound and patriotic
thought with which their Creator and
their nations martyrs have endowed
them, let them close their ears to the
clamor Of the false prophets, think for
themselves and Of themselves. Let
them 20 back over the history OF their
country for a score of years and see
what the doctrine OF dissension and
so-caIled reform has brought, Let
them revive in their own hearts and
minds an echo Of that devotion to the
principles Of true democratic govern
ment which guided their forefathers.
Let them know each other as brothers
IN . community of common progress
and common trust. Let them realize
that the possession Of money does not
constitute crime. Let them clear
their minds Of the class enmity that
has been fabricated out of prejudice
BY the reformers. Let them meet on
q common ground and in a common
spirit Of cooperation and patriotism.
That is the remedy for Americas