The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-12-19
yet. the substance has departed for

yet. the substance has departed for
sver.
Many people foolishly believe. it
Is the harness and not the horses
that draw the chariot along. "Tis not
true. Men and women are every
thing.
1T Is as impossible for your county
attorney ,unaided. or any other pub
lie official. however. conscientious.
earnest or worthy, to sweep back the
waves of crime to enforce your laws.
to make Carter county a decent and
safe place In which to live. as It was
for Joshua to make the sun stand
still. until the battle was over.
When bad men combine, the good
must associate. else they will fall.
one by one. an unnoticed sacrifice, in
contemplate struggle.
Virtue will as easily catch, by con-
tact. as will vice. When men like
you shirk jury service. when you COM
pound felonies by permitting criminals
to cheat and defraud you, sell the
property that is mortgaged to you.
give in exchange for goods and cash,
worthless wares; obtain from you your
wares and merchandise under all
lenses, and when the thief Is caught,
you place your countrys honor and
her laws beneath your selfish greed.
accept the money of the cheat and
the criminal, and beg and plead with
your officials the acquittal of the cul.
prit, refuse to prosecute for crimes
committed. you at heart encourage
crime and reward those who ply its
nefarious trade.
When you, day after day, sign the
bonds of the confirmed criminal
thereby loosening him upon the body
polite and permit him to further gar.
ner from the walks of shame, vice and
crime more filthy lucre;
when you know Of material evil
dence that will support and uphold
the majesty Of the laws Of your coun-
try, and for fear of losing the trade
Of the gambler, the boouegger, the
woman Of shame and the outlaw, you,
like Jacob OF old, silently hold your
peace;
when you let your stately build
ings for hire to the knight Of the
green cloth, TO the woman who.
throughout all time. must wear the
scarlet letter that burns her breast
to the dispensers of the juice Of the
grape, placing your shriveled and itch
ing palm for gold higher than your
love for honor. purity and virtue;
when you, through cowardice, per-
nit, because of wealth, the multi.
brazenly flaunt his disgraceful sins
and unspeakable crimes in the face Of
the virtuous womanhood, and the
sweet innocent, budding girlhood Of
your city that thrift may follow
fawning;
when you are upon jury. though
you have exerted every effort to pre-
vent rendering this service to your
country, you listen with willing and
welcoming ears to the sophistry Of the
experienced criminal, for fear of of.
Tending his friend, or some member
of his family;
when you do these things as you
have done in the past. you are not
cooperating with your public serv-
ants, and it is wonder to me, that
crime does not stalk more brazenly
upon the streets of your city.
"The immor.a. Washington, with an
aching heart. and with tear stained
eyes, signed the death warrant Of his
personal friend, Major Andre. He for
got local influence, he forgot wealth
and power. he forgot friendship, he
forgot hawking sentimentality. He
'~'embered only his duty to his peo-
pie. TO his country and to his God.
The lilustrious Grant once said,
that duty was the sublimest word in
the English language.
when you remember the EXAMPLE
OF Washington, when you learn the
words of Grant, when you. as citi-
zens. do your duty, the criticism Of
your officers will cease.
THE dangers Of today 10 your city.
come from within. not from without.
"The worship of self the love OF
power. the lust for gold. the weak
ening of public faith, the decay OF
public virtue, the lack OF private
worth.
These are the perils which threat
en- our future, these are the enemies
we have to fear. these are the trait
ors which are within our camp.
The danger was far less when
Catiline knocked, with his army, at
the gates of Rome, than when he sat,
smiling. in the senate house.
mo man, city or nation can stand
still. We must mount onward and
upward. or go down. we must grow
worse or grow better.