Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1919-04-02
TWO LETTERS.

certain matter and the second received a few
hours later strongly condemned the same idea.
The letters are interesting because they repre-
sent two entirely different viewpoints.
The editorial in question was on the Irish
question. Part of it was quoted from the Icono-
clast paper favorable to the Sim Fein. Part
of it was the editors opinion Of the matter
Now we want to be perfectly frank with both
these men. They are both thinkers and both
take an active interest in public and world mat
tiers. Each of them is intensely patriotic to
America, their country, and evidenced it in
many ways during the war. There is no ques-
ton about this But they differ on matter
foreign to American thought.
Now to be real frank we are not pro-English
as one man assumes nor anti-Irish as the other
man hastily concludes. We have an opinion on
the Irish matter but it is only an opinion There
is a big difference between opinions and convic-
lions. This paper has only one pro-policy and
that is Pro-American! We conceive it to be the
duty OF Americans to confine their convictions
to our own country. Naturally we all have
opinions about the Bolsheviki in Russia and the
Sim Fem in Ireland or the home rule question
In India and the disposition of the German pos
sessions in the South Pacific. But these are
only few among many opinions on various mat
tiers. They are not Germane to the duty and
idealism we owe America and we can rest we'll
by saying Let us settle our problems and allow
the people OF other countries to settle their own
we would certainly resent having Japan, for in
stance, settle American domestic affairs and If
we are broad-minded we will grant others the
same privilege We may have opinions on out
side THINGS hut thew nocnCcoriI11 ,,1od,7o4
OF what we read and not of what we see. There
fore they are subject to change Convictions do
not change so readily
One of the letters spoke of ''retracting' the
editorial. This paper is open to conviction on
any subject but we are not taking ''orders" and
we are not going to retract just because some
one tells us to. An opinion readily becomes a
conviction when some man tries to ram it down
our throat and make us eat it. If we were to
walk into mans place Of business and tell him
that ne would have to change his mind over
night on a certain subject he would kick us out
OF the store and if he couldn't do it himself he
would call in the help. He would be perfectly
right, too. The old, gray-haired sonofagun run
ming this paper is built the same way
Now there is no use feeling bad about any
thing. None OF us are going to be here any too
long and we have learned rather late in. life
that about all we leave is the good we have done.
We are all bad enough anyhow but once in a
While we are kind, occasionally we are charit-
able and sometimes we do positive good In any
event we should be broad-minded. During the
late war we know of several papers right in
Grant county who lost numerous subscribers
because they dared to say what they thought
was their duty to say rather than handing nam
by-pamby milk and water stuff that offended no
one and pleased nobody. We don't know where
those subscribers went for their slush and milk
and-water mental pabulum when the world was
afire but we have a sneaking suspicion where
some OF them went. But that's all right too.
Some men and some papers always play policy,
carry water both shoulders and stride the
fence at all times-they get rich at it, Others
don't and they stay poor It all depends on the
build
Now let us go back to the first point-our
duty as Americans. The world is afire and Boil
sheviki is coming! If we don't hear his bloody
roar and ponderous footsteps as they crush the
grooming then our ears are indeed dull. The
time will come perhaps when Americans must
stand pat for their constitution and their inst
buttons. Remember the adage that goes some
thing like this: when honest men fall out
thieves break in and steal" We must not di-
vide patriots on matters foreign to American af-
fairs. | thank You.
AL
Most trouble in the world at least that which