Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-01-09
Mast EITONS TALKS
CONDUCTED BY
Mas WI. FELTON,
". has DO ~ou AXpccG 1rcn rTc "
Year?

Year?
This is the first Sunday night of
the newborn year While 1 write the
church bells are ringing a call to-
sacred worship. The cold is so in
tense L can only sit before a coal
fire and wish the churchgoers may
occupy a warm place to listen to
the preachers. 1t is a good time and
a good place to say that the worlds
greatest need at this hour is love
to God and good will to all mali
kind, and if the preacher can give
his listeners any spiritual food to
carry home with them, the cold trip
to the church will bear vigorous
and healthy fruition.
I am always uneasy when I hear
that the government is arresting
people on suspicion, and as there are
many men of many minds among the
many millions of inhabitants in the
United States, ! trust the authorities
will be extremely careful as to its
conclusions and very particular In
it's deportations.
l lived through the Civil war. |
heard q lot of talk about COnfiscation
of southern property and what the
iron hand of the Federal govern
ment might do to the conquered
southern states. l feel safe in say
ing that it was great thing for
General Grant to do when he ar
ranged generous terms of peace at
AppomattoX, and when General Lee
could go home to his family and
feel that he was not considered an
alien and an enemy by the success
full general.
There is an old adage that fits in
nicely right here, "Molasses catches
more flies than vinegar" | have been
reading today about rounding up the
radicals in the west, as explained in
the Sunday papers. 1t makes me UNI
easy. Mob law is very uncertain,
but at the same time a very violent
and vicious way of settling difficult
ties \ few dangerous persons can
get up enough anarchy to wreck Eu-
ropean thrones in a few hours. In
this country law and order ought
to rule and will rule if our authori-
ties are wise, and as harmless as
doves, in dealing with offenders who
are not guilty of sedition, but are
acting under misinformation. lit
tie fire can kindle a great confagrd
ton.
My hope for the New Year lies
along the lines OF prudence and eau
ton in dealing with suspicious
rather than facts.
Again L hope that the sober-mind-
ed citizens of our country will be
careful as to saVing-because a re-
action always succeeds time of
reckless spending. When natural OIL
was first discovered in Pennsylvania
and Ohio-soon after the civil war,
the nouveau richie lost their heads
and went daft on spending and dis
play. The less education they had
the more of sorry spectacle they
presented. They disguised the pub
lie.
1t was an object lesson Of greed
ard vanity combined with ignorance
i'll very many cases.
Our country has been passing
through a very tremendous crisis for
several years. Unless the sane and
sensible people combine to set steady
in .he boat the old ship of state may
founder on the rocks.
There is craze of frivolity abroad
in the land. The over-strenuous re.
ve1ers are careless as to proper
dressing as well as HedlILy eAClle-
nent. They are rash--incautious.
These things follow in the wake of
all great wars. America must pro
mote a spirit of innocent enjoyment,
but frown down any of the mad
revels of the European capitals.
The wise men and women should
be up and doing, to keep our young
people in safe paths and with pru-
dent counselings. There is nothing
more needful or more valuable that
can be impaired to the public min 1.
am hoping that the sermons Of
this Sunday night may come along
in unison with my hopes and wishes
for The year 1920.
We have a great country. Our
forefathers fought for freedom and
a square deal. Let us keep to these
old mathis of safety