The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1917-05-30
frs.a S,rih Carolina.
Shelby, May ts, 1911.


weeks since that am still at the old
stand, but my P. o. address has been
changed. We have good, sand-clay
roads here, and every nook and corner
Of Cleveland county has rural free de-
livery service. OF course the moss
backs died hard; but we found dirt
enough to give them deep and re-
spectacle. burial, and hence can go
from somewhere to somewhere, have
good mail service, three railroads in
the county, prospects for two inter-
urban lines; dog-tax that makes eV-
cry dog-owner pay one dollar a head;
and, POOR as our soil is, manage to-
live, move and have being. But
conditions are by no means ideal. We
have but five months school term,
and that is two months longer than
men who are "agin" good roads and
furiousiy ''agin" taxing dogs desire.
But we need at least seven months
school; and at least 40 per cent. more
pay for teachers. But those teachers
should be worth the money, and no
others employed.
AS to the power of education and
efficiency, Germany furnishes an OBJ
ject lesson. Whatever may be said
of its ruthless autocratic spirit; they
are fighting the world and are not
yet conquered. OF course as they
have fired on our flag, and destroyed
some of our commerce, / am in favor
of "Old Glory" against the world, the
flesh and the devil; but England and
Russia would never have Subjugated
the imperial creation of Otto Won Bis
mark. But one out of five thousand
but can read and write in Germany,
while the rate of illiteracy in Russia
is 70 per cent. Not only in war; but
they excel in almost every field of hu-
man endeaVor. In agriculture, chem
istry, music, manufacturing, we have
found out by lack of dyestuffs and
potash for commercial fertilizer, how
we lack her skill. Why can't we
make potash and dyestuffs? Igno
rance, of course. The rate of Hitter
acy in North Carolina is IA per cent,
and very nearly as low in Kentucky.
Such states as Washington, where il
literaey is lowest, you see something
going on. Russia and the United
States could easily feed the world if
they were as progressive as France
and Germany; but we are facing a
prospective food famine Despite the
ports of Germany being blockaded by
the navy Of England, Germany has
fought nearly all Europe, and remains
unconquered. We fought and SUBJ
jugated the Indian by superior intelli-
gence and equipment; and the invinci-
bic legions of julius Caesar overpow-
cred the tribes of Gaul and Britain
who were our ancestors
We certainly are in war and are find
ing Jordan hard road to travel. AS
has been the case in all previous strug-
giles, the war orator and lingo journal
list have howled like the red Numidian
lion for people to "die for the Flag"
but so soon as war is a reality they
become silent in four languages;
while the silent farmer, artisan and
teacher, who are the flower and pride
of chivalry enlist and do the dying;
while the war evangel, with his
mouth, becomes shoddy contractor,
kills men with embalmed beef and
the army canteen, EFFORTS on the wiu-
ows and orphans caused by war; and
when peace reigns, take charge of the
church, business and politics. If any
body sees Wall Street manipulation
among the mangled heaps of the
slain, expect to see mule angel
tWanging harp on the shores OF
sweet deliverance.
We have here some very bellicoSe
lawyers preachers and editors who
are pining to die for "Old Glory"
They have mourned and refused to
be comforted because President Viii
son permitted our flag to be insulted
and wanted Uncle Sam to grab the
Stars and Stripes in one hand and &
meat axe in the other, and conquer al
Europe in general and Germany il
particular. But upon declaration o.
war, expected to see them throns
recruiting stations. 1 was opposed Il
war, and was in the ''slack, coward
contingent, composed of Bryan. ClauC
Kitchin, Champ Clark, etc BuI
Bryan enlisted as a private, and IL
order to shed glory on a dimmed es
cutcheon and sustain a falling repu
tation; wrote Gov. T. w. Beckett
that would serve in the trenche
with Bryan and Kitchin, as Shelb!
expected to furnish 10 major generals
20 brigadiers, 80 colonies, 100 major
and 500 captains. This was published
in Greensboro News, IN. Co., and ap
peared in Chicago and Chattanooga
papers. reminded Gov. KitchiI
that an ounce of enlistment is worth
ton of big talk, and that L am nea