The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-11-18
THE OPEN FORUM
It's Plans and Purposes

The Open Forum is generally IN
derstood to be an organization cap
able of dispensing both help and
pleasure, both Of the refined and sub
stantial sort. The word Forum"
| doubtless means a place or opportun-
ity for discussion and when coupled
with the word Open it would seem
to indicate that all persons were
welcome and that all opinions would
receive a fair hearing
Freedom under any circumstances,
aside from the solitary res dence OF
desert island, must have due regard to
the rights and feelings of others and
SO the welcome extended by the Open
Forum to persons of every creed or
belief and of every station in life,
together with such opinions as they
may care TO offer must necessarily be
limited to the same consideration. So
far as such a thing is capable of def
milton at all, the purpose Of the Open
Forum must be to give opportunity
for the free expression of opinion.
but in order to accomplish its purpose
1t must be necessary for those taking
part to be reasonable and temperate
in their own utterances and patient
with the opinions and utterances OF
others. The need for such an or
ganization arises out of certain ten
denotes OF human nature which seem
as persistent and universal as the law
OF gravitstion. Most of our planning
and discussing is done in little
wyha nY1u ~ n
hold views practically identical with
our own. A group under such cir
cumstances is apt to pat itself on the
back SO to speak, and to lay the blame
for the evils OF our times exclusive
ly to someone else. II farmers get
together to talk over things that are
going wrong. they are quito apt to
render a unanimous conclusion that
the labor unions and mill operatives
are demanding excessive pay and I'M
reasonably short hours. Perhaps at
the same hour, in the same town, but
in another meeting place a group OF
textile operatives will find no Difficult
ty in agreeing that what they need OF
the products of the farm comes to
them only at prices which are exhor-
bitant. Somewhere else little group
of retired business men may be sit
ting down and bravely asserting that
if the farmer would commence work
before nine in the morning with dill
gence common in the days when they
themselves worked upon farm, that
the price of stove wood would fall
from 500 to about 50 a cord and other
supplies in proportion.
Now, discussions in groups and
cliaues in this way are of some value
but nevertheless if there is not
good deal more of broad minded com
harrison of ideas than that possible
under circumstances just narrated,
the world is certainly facing gloomy
neriod. What is needed is to bring
these groups in common meeting
place. get them in friendly attitude
of mind toward each other, with the
hone that very much better under
sanding would ensue. The Open
Forum has arisen to meet this need.
In the light of the above explanation
we NAV say that the purpose of the
Omen Forum is:
TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR FRIENDLY DISCUSSION AND
COMPARISON OF IDEAS WITH THE
HOPE THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL OK
GROUP MAY BECOME MORE CON
VFRSANT WITH AND TOLERANT
OF THE IDEAS OF OTHERS AND
THAT ALL WILL PROFIT BY THE
BETTFR UNDERSTANDING WHICH
1T WOULD SEEM MUST NECESSA-
RILY ENSUE.
From the above it would appear
that discussions would be the form
that every meeting would assume. On
tho contrary it Is found that Whlle
discussions and debates are helplui'
the most useful meeting perhaps Is
the one where one speaker occupies
the most OF the time with the opport-
unity for questions and discussions
following his address. Such Is the
nlan at present proposed for the
Skoyhegan Open Forum and 1t Is ex-
nected that three and possibly nve
euch meetings will be held during the
winter months. For one of the hVe
meetings however 1t is planned that
the subject shall be Municipal afalrs
with special reference to Skowhegan'
and this will be held in the latter part
NJ February at a time when lnterests
should be aroused in our annual town
meeting.
The committee is sincerely desirous
~ receiving suggestions which may
help to perfect the above program ana
such suggestions by telephone by
word of mouth, or by written eommu-
nication addressed to the chairman
Edwin p. Whiting, will receive the
most careful attention.