Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1919-02-27
E DIT RIAL
ARMOUR AND BoLsHEVIsM.

ARMOUR AND BoLsHEvIsM,
Mr.. j. Odgen Armour, the head of the great packing concern, is
reported recently to have said:
The United States must choose one Of two roads: either bolshe-
vism or individual and corporate freedom
We are reproducing Mr.. Arnours observation largely for the
purpose of emphasizing the ease with which men of great industrial
capacity can dispose of great questions.
Let us cite d local example of what Mr.. Armour means by bolshe-
vism in order that our readers may grasp the significance Of the gen
tlemanSs observation from his own standpoint.
Mr.. Armour doesn't believe that anything that can be operated
by private enterprise comes within the scope Of the government
business. That is to say, Mr.. Armour particularly has in mind the
modern tendency toward governmental ownership, not only as applied
to public utilities but also to industrial undertakings.
South Dakota, for instance under the influence OF the present
state administration is investigating the feasibility OF mining coal by
the state. In other words, the South Dakota legislature has committed
itself to the principle of state operation as applied to the mining of
coal, and state ownership and operation of a cement plant.
Now, Nj. Armour terms all such tendencies as bolsheNik in char
acter. The men who favor public ownership in any form are bolshc-
visits, from Mr.. Arnours point of view.
SO, when the mayor oil Watcrtown, backed by the city aldermen,
set about to have the city Of Watertown absorb the water plant, and
later moved in the direction Of a city lighting and power plant, they
at once became bolsheVsts in the eyes OF the great Chicago packer,
because they are advocating the very things against which men of Mr..
Armour type have been contending with all their might. The city OF
Watertown, therefore AS Mr.. Armour views ii. is the local center of
boIshevik activity.
it may be said, in this connections that il Mr.. Armour wishes to
experience all the delights of a brick house falling about his cars, all
he needs 70 do TO acquire a good-sized load Of that feeling is to come
20 WatertoWn and call Mayor Hopkins a bolshev1st face to face. Only
two blows would he struck: one when the mayors fist hits the packer,
the other when the packers body hits the ground.
Hence instead OF raning and pulling his har and promiscuously
branding as holsheysts all who happen to entertain a few opinions
of their own with respect to industrial phases Of our country. Mr..
Armour would accomplish vastly more Tor the theories which he en-
tertains by proceeding to correct some Of the existing evils that are
within his power to remedy.
Az Wo have said of the railroads that public sentiment against
themsis due to q very great extent TO their exploitation By a eoterc
of gamblers and stock manipulators rather than to ii public wish for
public ownership, 50 we say of Mr.. Armourst business that a very con-
siderable measure Of the sentiment that has been manifesting itself
against the great packing combination is founded, not especially upon
desire Tor the public ownership and operation Of packing plants,
nor particularly upon the theory that these institutions would be
capable Of rendering better service under public ownership than Mr..
SArGonrs company is capable of rendering, but rather upon the be-
lef that Air .Armour and the men associated with him in the meat
industry have been utilizing the power that they have possessed to
bear tue livestock market at the producing end o ftLe line and to- bull
the mat markets az tho consuming end. In other words, there Is i
prevailing belief that Nj. Armourha been catching EN- both aeon
ing and a-going.'
And IS Mrs Armour rises up and somewhat indieriminatcly puts
aSbosaeyik label upon every man Oh woman who stands Tor i change
of naarketing methods and especially every person who looks with
IaTorupon public ownership IN any form.
Mr.Alnour should remember that old story in the public school
IsaSsI NhIcif were az use when he was i boy. lie may recall thai i
Snauglay laa was II the habit of crying Wolf! Wolff when all the
nelghtOrs would rush out 70 discover FIAT there was no such animal
in sight The boy was merely enjoying himself. FINALLY, perhaps Mi
SSasrasAEa may relnenDer after thepeople had been fooled several times
zSf1essyolfS aettang put 81 al appearance oneaays butnobody paid ans
Aftentlo6 ntotheslaa3s SHOUTS FOR help aII believing that it was an
adhsr false alarm The boy, it will be recalled1 wass consumed by shs
sEagsySH slf sAnd vt because IS had deceived his friends upon various
H5ESz AtaPoar5 should profit II ths stoiy: Is il pronissiloaslls
lRaI Ns seaa s shadow shadow 81 pubnas osyynnarshop 5lts 81 hs ofae
n a18agN sna 6soF1eS mn heeone sso accustomed IA the cry# that the,
81 s4a.s zasafsH Assas AasH Waaains iaeas ppisheVisnlz should aetsan,
Sgss Gla as99Nasa Mk asadsxa aaa l l IIasnas e alazs aE MN ffs aIsss,
llla n ||Ill|. ~ zaS| g|za III ||saa Iassa Y