Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1920-04-07
UNDESIRABLE CITIZENS

- Ii all the men of Ashland wer
as active in constructive commu
nifty movement as some OF then
: are in obstructive movement il
o five years "old timers" woulC
need to hire a guide to conduc
u them through the old town, il
C would have grown and changed
so.
There are two kinds of obstruc'
, tionists. The first is a man who
has never had any part in large
, undertakings and Quakes at the
thought Of development that costs
large sum of money. He has
not been used to spending a mil
lion dollars to make two million
and the thought Of it frightens
him. Talk to him about spend
ing dollar to make two and he
at once comprehends; he is not
afraid of such an investment and
/ is satisfied with small accom-
plishment. But, start a move
ment that contemplates the in
vestment of hundreds of thou
sands or millions of dollars and he
is at once frightened and would
even shoulder his musket to de-
fend his community against such
"wanton recklessness." He is alb
solutely honest in his opinions,
but those opinions are circum-
scribed by his narrow financial
experiences. He is entitled to
sympathy, but should not be al
lowed to stand for one moment
in the path OF big progress. Big
investment will return dividends
just as certainly as small invest
ments, and, besides, We live in an
age of big things ard to do them
greatly costs a deal of money.
The second is a baser kind and
needs no sympathy or tolerance.
What he does he does because he
is short visioned not only but
stngy. He is ready to break his
neck any day to obstruct a move
ment if he thinks it will cost him
q dollar. He knows if the thing
goes he will be embarrassed by be-
ing asked to contribute; that he
will be in a bad light if he re-
fuses; and he fights the move
ment simply because he desires
to shirk his responsibility. Usual
ly he is the most active in obstruc-
tive movements. OF his type are
those who make real estate in
vestments, never make a dollar
of improvements, dodge every fl
nancial demand intended to make
more value, and sits quietly by in
the hope of profiting by the pub
lie spirit and enterprise of his
neighbOr. He never opposes any
thing except that which is likely
to cost him an additional dollar,
but the moment proposition
comes up that he will be unable
to dodge without embarrassment
he rolls up his sleeves and be-
gins to fight like a son-of-a-gun
to down it. According to his ac-
count everybody who fayors the
movement is "grafter. To
make his argument appear strong
er he admits a need along the
line, but says that it should be
done in an entirely different way.
The wrong men are at the head
Of 1.-THE city is too small to
stand the strain-the thing is all
right, but its cost will bankrupt
the town-and so he rambles on
with plausible argument until |
the movement is defeated. Then
he forgets that he said he thougnt
il should be put forward in a
modified or different form, By
different men, and lays down sat
isfied because he has blocked it.
Such an one is entitled to no re-
spect or consideration. His activ-
ity is directed by selfishness and
his methods are dishonest. Such
men have ruined many a good
chance for community advance
ment. They never propose any
movement that will cost a dollar
for fear they will be caught in
.he mesh by the soliciting commit
lee.
Ashland has a number of such
md they are known by name
They need a public trouncing
Every citizen should know exact
y where they stand so that their
'ctivities against" everything
beneficial may be known and
-oundly ignored.
The sad part Of II is that they ;
ire allowed to obstruct for years
md still hold the confidence and
.espect Of the community. D
They should be exposed
WEDNESDAYS NEWS
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