The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1920-09-02
w. b. Anderson Answered.

| notice in the Daily Evening Star
that my socialist friend, w. B. Ander-
son, has an article on the results of
the Democratic primary election. His
first observation is that all the nomi-
nees live in Mena, as if that disquali-
fled one from holding Office. Now
believe that mans honesty and
qualification should be the first con-
sideration in selecting our public SER
wants, and not the particular local
ity in which he happens live.
Would business man select an EN-,
ployee simply because he lives in a
certain locality, or would he select
him because of his ability 10 do the
work required of him? The majority
of our nominees lived outside of
Mena when they were first elected to
an office. j. A. Thornton lived at Egg
ger, w. l.. Parker lived at Nunley,
II. w. Finger and f. l.. Johnson lived
at Hatfield. But the place where
they lived did not fit them to hold the
office to which they were elected. If
living in Mena disqualifies a man
from holding office, then the support
ers of the citizens ticket will have to
nominate another man for County
Clerk, because Virgil Pirtle, the man
whom they have nominated, lives in
Mena. Gong back in the list of coun-
ty officials, find that w. |. Green
and w. N. Martin lived at Hatfield
when they were elected Circuit Clerk
and County Clerk, respectively.
They moved to Mena when they were
elected and have lived here ever
since. Does this fact disqualify
them from Office? No, only in the
mind of my socialist friend, w. B.
Anderson and those who sympathize
with him.
In the time of Christ, one of his
followers, Philip, said to Nathaniel,
We have found him of whom Moses
in the law and the prophets did write
Jesus of Nazareth the son of JOS
eph." Nathaniel saith, Can there
any good thing come out of Nazar-
eth?" The prejudice against Nazar-
eth at that time was about as strong
as it is in the minds of some of those
today who are supporting the Citi-
zen's ticket against Mena. They are
using all their power to stir up preiu-
dice in the minds of the people who
live IN the country against those who
live in town. They know if they fail
to do this, the success of the Citi-
zen's ticket is doomed. They have
been fighting the Mena Commercial
Club whose object has been to pro-
mote the interest of the country as
we'll as the town. The Commercial
Club, believes that whatever helps
the country will help the town. The
interests of the country and the town
are mutual. Whatever builds up the
one will build up the other. What.
ever hinders or retards one will him
der or retard the other. In union
there is strength. Which is better
to run on ones fitness for office, or on
the locality in which he lives. or OF
ones ability to stir up prejudice be-
tween his fellow men. A little reflec-
ton will show who are trying to dc
the two latter.
MY socialist friends second obser-
walton on the Democratic primary ell.
ection is that only about one-third
Of the poll taxpayers of the county
voted in the election. Well, that was
about 1850 more than voted when the
Citizens ticket was nominated. We
believe in letting the people nomi-
nate their men for office. IL any did
not participate in the primary it was
their fault They had the opportun-
ity. The Citizens ticket was noni-
mated by only handful of men who
met at the court house in Mena. At
ter they came together, select COM
nittee was chosen to name the tick
ct. Ny socialist friend, w. b.
Anderson, was first chosen on this
committee, but for some reason those