Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-23
Worlds Greatest Era

every crisis through which we have
passed, AMI that, also. every one OF
tho great figures OF our history. has
IN time Of stress, been the object of
riticism ard abuse. The latter we
are o~utgrowing. The former can take
are of itself when the end crowns the
work. II we arc all as whole hearted
Is loyal 10 our government as Wash
iugton was TO the cause Of liberty. we
win have done a part, at least. OF our
duty.-Boston Post.
our exchange has the nut but has
rot cracked il. There's good meat in
>ide. II is the fact that loyal men can
SOC faults, n try to correct them in
their own country.
T. is not an evidence of loyalty that
- man is blinded to every fault his
own country may have. Nor is it an
evidence Of justice that a man refuses
to acknowledge anything but good in
his " party; or Of intelligence, for a
man TO claim that he never goes
wrong.
It is tr.c that Washington was
criticized IA a way that would not be
tolerated "a these days of experimental
ton in autocracy. 1t is just as true
That Lincoln was criticized. was tho
target Of wholesale abuse; that Glad
stone and Chamberlain and ~.tsquith
and Lloyd George have been ham
mctcd mnrcilcssly in turn.
10 YOU know of a shining mark that
ha. no, been Shot at-and with good
rcasun:
IBID il never occur TO you that great
men have been moulded great by
riticism?
Lincoln tor any other of the COM
Ttrativcly few great mem if shut
up alone, untouched by the minds Of
hns people would have been helpless.
useless. Lincoln was big enough to be
made great. SO is Woodrow Wilson,
~ he is not walled in by his every
body hut up" friends. He has al
l'iu. dItdlllfu Size lldl ne Idd lIol
sIX Years. OF even ono year. ago.
criticism has done it, for he has
changed his attitude on about every
big question before the American
people. w" need not more than men
tion too proud to fight. we are pre-
pared, coastwise shipping and canal
tolls. suffrage, tariff, war-the list is
amazing when one pauses to con-
slder the last six years and the Wilson
reversals.
What accomplished the changer"
II was accomplished by a mind great
er than that of n i~ndividual-the
public mini. Woodrow Wilson'S mind
has been improved by contact with
wholesome criticism.
Arc you little enough to deem dis
loyal" the authors of those criticisms
that have made President Wilson big
SER
And criticism is not necessarily
abuse" There are individual minds
IN this country. out among the COM
mon people. that arc just as great as
is any Of those in Washington today.
In this country are thousands of men
any Of whom knows more of war,
or Of business. than does Woodrow
Wilson. Shall they be barred from
opening their lips because a little
group of men elected to executive Of
flee. and appointed to positions of
trust, seem to thinl. it is THEIR war?
II is OUR war. OUR sons are she'd
ding the blood. WE are paying the
hills-in money. in anxiety, in grief,
perhaps in years Of agony Of mind and
pitiful adversely.
Is IL, then. treason TO point to the
reptiles We see and know that the
commander has not seen: If that be
treason, then make the most of it., for
this always will be a free America
when storms have passed.
We sometimes boast that in every
crisis a man big enough to meet it is
raised by Providence. But does not
Providence work through the mind and
oharacter and stability Of the Amer
lean people" What agency but a free
people-free TO assist, to criticize, to
oppose or &c halt at a danger point. to
push and to pull. but always pre-
dominsntly in the right direction
raises up the man.?
We shall Win the war with War
President Wilson, and his official
family as leaders. But We shall all
have a hand in it for it is OUR war.
Nor shall we be 'shu. up" by the fool
friends of the administration who
would rob il of the steadying brain as
well as hand of the American people.
1t is not the shouter n the boaster
who do the lighting. We suspect the
man who talks much Of his loyalty,
and in his little mind can store moth
ing but idolatry and toadyism.
Today Is the day for REAL men 70
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