The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1919-10-09
DOTS FROM DUBOIS.

There are some who are supposlng
that possibly tie people OF Sank Cen
tire might be somewhat interested IN
the proposed erection Of All Armory
in our city. According to the plan,
they contribute by the taxation route,
about $4,000 of their money, which
is to be devoted to this purpose, the
remainder of the cost of construction,
about S25, 900, to come from the state.
1t is pointed out that the amount
asked from the city is not large, adj
ding slightly to our tax rate; any how
what are taxes between friends? or
course there is constantly increasing
demand for public funds, and to the
plea made for the Improvement of
The miserable condition of the streets
within the boundaries of Sank Centre
the answer is that we are short of the
necessary aid. In this enterprise Of
the Armory the amount received from
outside begins and ends with the con-
,struction of the building. 1t is not
an institution which will give employ
ment to men and thereby add to the
population of our city. We do not
know how imposing a structure can
be built with the stipulated amount
of money. We are. assured by the
friends of the scheme that it will be
fine, and it is reported that in the
architectural plans there are provided
two lavatories, one for the officers
and the other for the privates. Glory
be! Militarism and democracy can
hardly be classed as twins.
But We are missing the point. The
question is do the people of Sank
Cent? want the Armory? They
have never been asked to decide. AS
a matter OF fact there are two
questions: Do our citizens want the
Armory? Or do they desire to be
compelled to take it and made to like
it whether they want to or not?
=
A twelvemonth has passed since
the cessation CT the Great War, and
we are endeavoring now to live
through the period of the Great Con-
fusion into which that war has
thrown the world. For the hope OF
our civilization there are great minds
here and there which are able to rise
above the. murky and bewildering
smoke that envelopes Us and can
point the way out of the gloom. Such
a voice comes from cruelty devasted
France. One of the greatest intellects
of that country is Anatole France.
From a remarkable address he lately
made at the Congress of Teachers
Institute, held at Tours, l am using
the privilege of putting the following
excerpt before the readers Of the
Herald:
Teachers, dear friends, it is
with ardent emotion that | ad-
dress you; deeply stirred with
anxiety and hope that l speak to
YOU. And how could l fail to be
deeply moved when I consider
that the future is in your hands,
Ind that it wiz be for the mott
part what your spirit and what
your care shall make it?
"In developing the child, you
will determine the future. What
a task at this hour, when the old
order of society sinks under the
weight of its sins; and when
conquerors and conquered are
alike plunged. in common
misery, in which they handy ex-
pressions Of hatred.
"In the social and moral dis
order created by the war and per-
petuated by the peace which has
followed it, you have everything
to do, everything to rebuild. It is
for you to create new humanity,
it is for you to awake new in
telligence, if you do not wish
Europe to fall into madness and
barbarism. People will say to
you, "To what purpose so much
exertion? Man does not change"
So! He has changed since the
age of the cave-dweller, now for
the worse, now for the better. He
changes with environment, and it
is education which transforms
him, even more perhaps than air
and food Certainly the educa-
ton which has rendered possible,
which has favored (being practi-