davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

|insincerity Of the present attitude of
President Wilson in advocating
force to enforce peace:
For generations humane men, men
of good will among all nations, have
|striven by The Hague convention, by
peace conferences and by all other
means to make war impossible, or at
least to mitigate the horrors of war.
When our time comes by what means
can these barriers built up against
barbarism be made effective? They
cannot be preserved by the belliger-
ents if any of them choose to ignore
them. 1t is only from neutral states
that effective sanction can be given
to them.
What happened? At the very out
break of the wal the Germans swept
aside every n of these barriers.
They ore up treaties which they
themselves solemnly signed. They
'strewed mines in the open sea. They
committed every atrocity on sea and
land against The Hague convention,
which they themselves had signed.
They made war on women and chill
dren. They destroyed neutrals as
ruthlessly as they did their enemies.
They are at this moment driving the
population of conquered territories
into slavery, and, worse ever than
that, they are making some of the
subjects of their enemies take up
rms against their own country.
All this has been done, and no
neutral power has been able to stop
it. No neutral power, indeed, has
made any protest against it. We must
then take other means to secure the
future peace of the world.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30


Just as the Freeman-Tribune Ok
pected, the red blooded men who are
helping in the great conflict now go
ing on across the sea do not take
kindly to the peace without victory
suggestions of President Wilson.
Moreover, they hint at his insincer-
ity, because of the record he has
made. In discussing the presidents
sensational address before congress,
Senator Pope said in the Canadian
senate the other day that Canada is
standing by Britain because Britain
is right and because Canada is not
too proud to fight for a principle.
1.-THE president of the United
States" he said, "has Just declared
to the world that there should be
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The La Crosse, Wisconsin, Tribune
and Leader-Press, two daily papers,
have been consolidated. The high
price of print paper is given as the
cause for this consolidation. La
Crosse is a large city, but it has de-
cided that only one daily paper will
pay. With a population Of ONE thir-
ty-two or thirty-three thousand, La
Crosse ought to support one daily
well.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

There is more than one trouble
with the volunteer army system of
this country but the chief one seems
to be the failure of volunteers to
volunteer. However, if war should
break out there would be plenty of
volunteers, provided the commander
in-chief of the army and navy hap
man of action instead of one OF
words.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30
PRODIGALITY AND PROGRESS.

New York World: Senator Nc
Cumber is greatly exercised over the
extravaganza of the American peo-
pie. To their "revelry in extrava-
CANT habits he attributes the high
cost of living, and-he cites figures to
show that Americans spend $4,000
006,0 600 annually for liquor, tobacco.
automobiles and "other amuse-
ments."
1t is to be regretted that the sena-
tor did not make an estimate of the
additional vast sums spent by Amer
leans for books and bath tubs, toilet
soaps, silk shirts and other articles
of use or wear, which also affect the
cost of living. There are so many
forms of extravaganza to indict that
the question is where to begin. The
could have drawn an elo-
quent contrast between the sybaritic
fare on the farmers table in an era
of 50 wheat and the hog and hominy.
which suficed his Spartan ancestors.
Americans are spending more
money for the things once counted
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The Carroll Herald says that as an
abstract proposition it makes little
difference whether the head of the
highway machinery Of the state be
n man or three men, but inasmuch
as a commission of three has produc-
ed satisfactory results the state
should hesitate to jeopardize efic-
iency by making a change. "A plan
that has worked out so well in actual
practice should not be thrust aside
for an experiment. as some propose"
the Herald concludes.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

Where there is one slave, there
must of necessity be another-the
slaves master. He is a slave to the
spirit Of greed and oppression. No
man knows true liberty unless he
stands for the security of liberty to
all.-Longacre.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

"The gentleman from Hamilton
county" seems to be faring pretty
well at the hands of his associates
in the legislature. He is winning
recognition among the workers who
do things.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

It is remarkable that an English
firm IAN underbid American firms on
big shells for the United States
navy. OF course in time of peace it
would be expected, but while Eng
land is engaged in the greatest war
in her history it is remarkable that
her munition factories would agree
to furnish munitions to this country
at any price. Possibly our manu-
facturers thought they had a cinch
and bid high.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

Supplies of potatoes on hand jan
uary IL 1917, for market in 10 i'm
portant northern pOtato-growing
states are estimated by the Bureau
Of Crop Estimates of the U. S. De-
partment of Agriculture to be about
IA per cen smaller than a year ago,
65 per cent smaller than two years
the average holdings on January 1
of the preceding five years.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

1t is almost time for the congress
sional garden seed campaign to open
and it has long since been time for
congress to discontinue this practice.
1t is not only a waste of money but
the average recipient who plants the
seeds is chagrined later to find that
they were of very poor quality. The
whole business is conducted in the
interest of seed growers and the peo-
pie ought to let their congressman
know that they want the f%oolishness
stopped.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

China, at least, is n nation not
of the western hemisphere that is in
flavor of a worldwide Monroe doc
trines. Possibly this government can
make arrangements with China to
look after the enforcement of that
principle in Europe, Asia and Afri-
ca.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The United States has either got
to back up on it's policy of mo en-
-tangling alliances" or give up talk
of a league to enforce peace.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

peace without victory. Wilson
thought he was lecturing students
rather than speaking to full grown
men involved in a desperate strug-
gle" Senator Pope added that if
the success of President Wilson's eff
for,s to accomplish peace in the
present instance were not greater
than had been the success of his
peace efforts in Mexico, the world
would have to look for some other
man with some other method.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

It is evident, from the way he
takes an occasional left-handed jab
at Col. Roosevelt, that William How
ard Taft cannot be successfully &C
cused of a loss of memory.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

Woodrow presumes to tell the
fighting nations of Europe where to
head in, but can't make even one
bandit in Mexico be good.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

For President Wilson to advocate
force to enforce the Monroe doctrine
Throughout the world is like the
kaiser advocating the winning of
Russia by love.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The Ames business men have a pc
culiar way to induce people to pat
ronize home industries. A short
time ago they erected a buy at
home sign which they had made
and painted in Des Moines.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30
IOWA PRESS

Perhaps if no II would give the
legislature any advice it might fin
ish the work in sixty days" suggests
the Mason City Globe-Gazette.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The farmer who has a few hogs to
sell at $11 is in more cheerful mood
over the price of pork than the fell
low who has to buy it for his table.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

Establishing a precedent by being
the first aviator and owner of an
aeroplane to enlist as a private in
his country's : military service,
Charles e. Hays, c%artoonist, reporter
and birdman, has Joined the flying
squad of the United States Marines
at the Aeronautic Station at Pensa-
cola, Florida. The young aviator,
who rejected the temptation to go
abroad in the belief that his coun-
try has the first demand for his SER
vices, is eager to demonstrate his
skill as a flyer, and expects to win
rapid promotion in the soldiers of
the sea-"
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30
LUNCH AT NOON

pardons, and make recommendations
thereon to the governor; the final
decision in the matter to be restor-
ed to the governor.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30
CHALLENGES WILSON.

London Post: According to Presi-
dent Wilson's logic it would have
been better for Lincoln to have met
the southern leaders upon the field,
shaken hands and agreed upon
peace. = IS 81 When the wal between
Spain and the United States was still
unsettled, would Americans have
been satisfied if the European powers
had interviewed and said: you must
keep peace without victory, because
any other peace would leave the
sting of resentment and a bitter
memory
"In both of these cases Americans
would have replied, and did reply,
that the. war must be fought to a fin
ish until the vanquished accepted
the victors' terms.
with a series of such instances
and with questions as to how the
president would deal with specified
hypothetical situations affecting
American interests, the Post leads
up to the following conclusions:
Upon first impression the presi-
dents statement does not fill us with
any very sanguine hope. We remain
still of the opinion that a permanent
peace can only be obtained by the
defeat of Germany. We would even
say to President Wilson what Lin
coin said to Europe at the end of
1861: 4 am quite sure that a sound
argument could be made to show
them that they can reach their aim
more readily and easily by aiding to
crush this rebellion than by giving
encouragement to it
In other words, if President VIII
son desires to end the war, let him
come in and help us end it. He will
then have the opportunity of fight
ing for liberty and all those other
great principles which, as we have
always been taught to believe, Amer
leans hold dearer than life itself.
but if his enthusiasm for these prin-
ciples will not carry him SO far, his
next best course is to leave it to the
allies to secure them for the world
by the only way in which they a
be secured, that is to say, by vic
tory"
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The Des Moines Capital a y it
will be very unusual" if the legisla-
|ture does lot grant the woman suf-
fragists another chance; it believes
that they ARE entitled to a speedy
rehearing at the polls on thes grounds
of common justice"
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30
WILSON'S VAUDEVILLE.

NOnparel: PRESIDENT wilson
shattered another precedent when
he appeared Monday before the SEN
ate-and it's crowded galleries-to
make a stump speech.
In his address Mr.. Wilson said
Isome things worth while and some
lother things which would have been
better if he had left them unuttered.
And the STACEY manner or %presenta-
tion will, we believe, when sober
thinking Americans have had time
to consider, be severely condemned.
There was no occasion for such a
snowy display. Really strong and
|forceful men do not find it necessary
to resort to such tactics to command
attention.
President Wilson wants consider
alton Of the subject of III interna-
tional relations. He wants to know
whether we are ready to break away
from the advice Of Washington to
avoid entangling foreign alliances.
He must, as a historian, know that
this Washington policy has been in
the discard for years.
We have, as a matter Of fact, long
since broken away from this tradi-
tional policy. Mckinley in his last
speech at Buffalo stated clearly that
we had reached the threshold of a
new era. Our merchants and bank
ers are now doing business in every
part of the world. We are govern
ling the Philippines, We have taken
Porto Rico. We have purchased the
Danish West Indies, built the Pana-
ma canal and are exercising a
guardianship over Cuba, and, under
the Monroe doctrine, owe this whole
hemisphere. Washington's policy
was designed for the time it was
framed and announced. 1t was en-
|inently proper then. 1t is now mere
|ly a tradition and in no wise squares
with the facts.
With reference to a league of ma
tons to preserve the peace, we have
an organization including the best
men in the country which is work
ing out on this line. This proposal
is not new. And there is nothing
sensational about it. There is little
question but that our people favor
participation on the part of this
country in the formation of such a
league. 1t is assumed as a matter
of course that the terms of such a
contract would be wisely drawn to
prevent our being made a catspaw
to pull the chestnuts of unscrupu-
lous nations out of the fire. But our
people undoubtedly stand for a pol
icy Of peace and the adjudication Of
differences between nations by I'M
partial judicial tribunals. And ev-
erybody knows that we are anxious
to lead a movement of this kind.
Mr.. Wilson is conducting the di-
plomatic business of the country in
brass band style. 1t would be about
as appropriate for peace officers to
go out in search ~ criminals with q
drum corps. He could have secured
consideration of this subject by the
senate in a much more dignified and
himself to regular channels of COM
munication. He is making a sort of
vaudeville show of the business of
governing a hundred million people.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

Harvey Ingham is back east tell
ing the people why the west is
against preparedness. He is putting
up some good talk, too, they say, only
he is not telling the truth. In the
first place the west is not against
preparedness. In the second place
the west is for preparedness and in
the third place the west is willing to
pay it's full share for preparedness.
With these exceptions, Mr.. Ingham's
talks on why the west is against pre-
paredness are all right. OF course
some of the mollycoddles out here
like Mr.. Bryan, Henry Ford and Har-
vey Ingham are against prepared
ness, but the great, pulsating, virile,
fearless west is for preparedness and
want the kind that will give warn
ing to the world that the country is
able to take are of itself and its in
terests.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The Waterloo Times-Tribune says
it is quite plain that the only way
Perkins and Roosevelt will com
promise and give their unqualified
service to the republican party is to
let them run it.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

Senator Tillman says South Caro-
lima will respond to the sentiments
Of President Wilson's worldwide
Monroe doctrine address because
South Carolina loves liberty and JUS
tice. Yes, South Carolina loves liber-
ty and justice about like the Car of
Russia loves them. If liberty and
justice were practiced in South Caro-
lima Benjamin R. Tillman would not
now be representing that state and
disappearing the balance Of the
country in the United States senate.
and Woodrow Wilson would not
have been reelected president.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The Cedar Rapids Republican sug-
gests the reduction of the member
ship of the state board OF parole
from three to one--that one to be a
judicially minded mar who would
investigate appeals for paroles and
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

eff the present legislature con-
cludes this session in seventy days,
every mothers sol of them should
be reelected" says the Algona Up
per Des Moines-R Republican.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

ers cannot increase it at. will. The
same is true of electricity, passenger
fares, etc. Why cannot the same
principle be extended to coal and
other necessities dug from the
ground? 1t Can and will be some
day. Some will say this is socialism.
Well, so be it. Public ownership of
streets and alleys and country high
ways may also be socialism. They
used to charge toll for driving upon
the public highway and when society
advanced far enough to wipe out
that practice there were some who
raised the objection that it was a
bad precedent; that it might lead to
something worse, etc.
THE RETREAT FROM MEXICO.
Chicago Evening Post: We have
won neither prestige nor glory by
our dealings with Mexico. The latter
we might have dispensed with had
we been able to obtain the former.
Nevertheless, the withdrawal of
the Pershing expedition is the only
sane policy to pursue since we have
abandoned intention Of accomplish
ing anything through it's presence.
To keep Pershing and his brave
men hobbled in Mexico merely as an
occasion for argument, a stimulus to
note writing, would be-and is al
ready-both ridiculous and cruel.
We suppose Carranza will make
the most of the situation. He can
not be blamed if he boasts to his
countrymen that he has won a peace
full victory owe the Gringo. And,
we suppose, Villa will find comfort.
"They came to get me. They have
gone back without me-" he will tell
his fellow bandits.
The Vera Cruz and Pershing expe-
ditions are both excellent illustra-
tions of the folly of half measures.
Neither should have been attempted
unless the government was prepar-
ed to go through with all that the
attempts implied. We will now re-
turn to a mere policing of the from
tier on our own side of the boundary.
1t is a pity, under the circumstances,
we had not confined ourselves to this
work. Having no appetite for war,
we should not have nibbled at the
bread.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

1t is hard to estimate the value to
Iowa farmers in dollars and cents of
Sundays big snow.-Waterloo Cour-
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The Perry Chief presumes that
Senator Caswell's bill for the repeal
of the anti-tipping law will pass,
but says it Will cause hardly a rip
pie among the tippers and tip receiv-
ers. Nobody paid any attention to
the law, anyway" the Chief points
out.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

1t is difficult to see how any logi-
cal argument can be 'marshaled
against the proposal to give the
counties home rule on the question
of issuing bonds for the purpose of
raising road funds.-Waterloo Cour-
Ter.
The Freeman-Tribune hadn't no
ticed that there was opposition to
home rule in this matter. What op-
position there is to bonds is based
upon the principle of taking in too
much territory. A township out in
the country don't like to be bonded
to help build roads in another part
of the county. The people, or many
of them, are opposed to the present
law which gives boards of supervis-
ors the right to bond without public
consent to take care of deficits. That
law enables the boards to put a
bonded Indebtedness upon the people
without the people knowing it, and
the law ought to be repealed. Ham
ilton county recently sold over $780,
900 worth of such bonds and we no.
tice one county up in the northwest
ern part of the state a short time
ago sold over 100000 worth. The
legislature now in session at Des
Moines ought to repeal that law as
soon as it can get to it. Bonds are
all right if the people who have to
pay the bills and who reap the bene-
fits are consulted and vote in their
favor. Otherwise they are wrong.
About one hundred residents of the
city of Boone visited the council SEES
sion the other night and asked that
the city buy one of the coal mines of
that region, operate it and sell coal
to the people at actual cost. Just
what powers a city has in the direc-
tion indicated is not clear. But some
plan must be devised to protect the
people from thieves who get control
of mineral rights and who set the
thumb screws whenever opportunity
offers. All coal mines, oil fields, pub
lie service utilities, ETC., ought to be
controlled in the interest of the pub
lie if not actually owned by the peo-
pie. A coal operator should have no
more power to rob the people during
a cold snap when the railroads are
tied up than has an electric light
plant or a gas plant or a street rail-
road. The price of gas is fixed by
ordinance or franchise and the own
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

That's a fact. 1t is also hard to
estimate the value in dollars and
cents of Sundays big show.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The Jefferson Bee complains that
Representative w. w. Anderson, of
Greene county, was denoted by
Speaker Pitt from first to seven
teenth place on the appropriations
committee, when, under all legis-
lative courtesy and usage" he should
have retained the craftsmanship, '.re-
CARELESS of his choiceNfo speaker
This demotion the Bee charges to
the ''spoils system"
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

The Manson Democrat declares
that the prohibitionists have gone
about as far as they dare go in
Iowa. that they are afraid to go
any farther, they dare not make
Iowa "bone dry" because "they
Know that the voters will defeat the
constitutional amendment as sure as
it is voted On i6 the shipment Of
liquor into the state for personal use
is prohibited The Democrat adds
that even in Iowa there are some
things that You can't get away with.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

THE opposition of Senator Cum
Minis to the reappointment OF Com
missioner Daniels to the interstate
commerce commission is one argu-
ment why the appointment should be
confirmed" says the Dubuque Tele-
graph-Herald.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-30

AS between Gov. Harding and
Gov. Clarke on the primary ques-
ton, the M~arshalltown Times-Re-
publican finds itself unable to agree
with either.