Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1920-05-19

the d1SCOntented trouble seekers. Is
that they want somebody on the out
[ side to give them their chance-when
as a matter of faet the only real op-
portunity for anyone lies within their
own selves. I've seen lots of fine
and expensive machinery put up here
in Arizona on lodges of country rock
but 1t never put gold into that lean
rock.
The reason we have got to where
! VIC need organizations like the United
/ Americans l was telling OF last week
! is because we Americans have all been
blind to the need of using our oppor-
tunitics for all they are worth. With
( the rich and limitless West open for
so many generations and ready to
yield fortune to the most unframed
and undeveloped man there grew up
on us an easy, careless habit of doing
Just what was the most fun and re-
fusing to believe that anything more
was necessary.
often think OF boy l knew here
in our little valley. He was a bright
boy and l was urging him to keep on
at school and work his way through
some institution that would fit for
larger things than breaking broncos,
which was his pride just then. was
trying to make him see the use to
which he could put this schooling
when he was grown. "Aw, l think
know enough now, was his answer.
And right now he is the sort OF stuff
/ that strikes are MADE of-because
a working man never gets square
deal, as he thinks. | think most of
our trouble here in the United States
/ just now is painful waking up from
just about that boys state OF mind.
/ Ne had our big, rich West to spill
over into Tor so many generations
men OF little or no education and
training had such easy chances to
make money and life was simple and
free from "frills"-so we got an aw-
i ful case OF 'Aw, | think l know
enough now'-and waking up to find
d world of keen competition, with free
sands all but gone and all industries
al stage where special training is
necessary to success, it makes US aw-
fully mad to think we have to change
our old ways.
/ know a man OF this old West who
used to stay when urged 70 educate
his sons. They'll have as much as
l ever had" Now his boys are all
day laborers he is bitter because they
have to work i'll competition with for
eigners. who get better wages because
they are actually better workmeii.
That easy, unframed life OF his youth
spoiled him as father, and his boys
have made restless and dangerous
citizens because they hate doing any
thing hard and monotonous.
That same easy condition OF a big,
thickly settled land made govern
ment so much easier that real demo-
crazy was possible without much
thought and we got used TO each
little community growing up almost
alone and meeting its own needs IN
FITS own way, or more often just let
ting things drift Freedom to most
OF us for a hundred years past has
meant to live without responsibilities
as far as possible. Few men felt that
II was up to them TO help make good
laws and see that good men we're put
i'll power to execute them. If local
conditions r,o4 ,-fre,-,,o - D., ,,,,., -,
one place he could easily move to an
other where there was less settlement
and probably no laws at all That IS
how the men who made a business
tout OF government have had such a
fine chance to make II TO suit them
selves-because most OF us would ra-
Their put up with anything than take
the trouble TO help get something
bettcr-wc want to go about our bust
ness without so much bother and re
sponsibility.
Then when things get so bad we
can't live without seeing how bad it
all IS we raise big howl about the
ignorant foreigner and "urassimi-
lated aliens" making all the trouble
and feel lots better.
We don't say word about ''unas-
simulated Americans. but they are
just the reason why we all need some
OF United Americans" or something
else to wake us up-something to
unite us in responsibility instead Of
in the desire to escape responsibility
We need anything that will make us
realize that good citizenship Is every
mans business every day in the year.
l know a little community out OF
which. Tor many years, no young man
ever went to make a success OF his
life. Pretty good people lived there,
too, most 81 thenl-but they were 50
busy each minding his own business
III his own way that nobody minded
the BUSINESS OF surrounding the young
people with good influences and the
things that would inspire them to be
the sort OF Americans we want and
need.
All the grown men chewed tobacco.
and drank if they wanted to, and