Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-06-10
q o o o . o o o o o O O o
AMERICAS OPPORTUNITIES
O o Q O o Q o o Q Q o @ o q
By Mervin Kullman

o By Mervin Kullman c
O o Q o o o o o Q o o O O q
Never before in the history of tht
world has any Nation had a greater
opportunity for advancement and fol
assisting the unfortunate nations
than that presented to America al
this time: Nor is there any country
which has greater incentives for
cultivating and developing its natura
resources.
Our land has always possessed ex
ceptional advantages over all othel
nations Of The Old World. There are
mineral resources, forests, navigable
rivers and good harbors, each one Of
which is an. important factor in t.ie
prosperity Of a nation. Besides al
these things, our country is fortuhate
in having a fine climate and well.
drained fertile soil. Then since tirere
are few mountains the opportunities
for the raising Of agricultural pro.
ducts are almost limitless.
And not only in the material
things are we fortunate, but in the
fact that we have never been cursed
with a king or a titled Nobility. We
have no caste or class, and every
man feels as he has always felt, that
he will reap the fruit of his labors
The lot of each one Is detelmin ed
by his ability.
In Europe in early times, the land
was held at the will of tie king, ia
whom it reverted if the holder re-
fused to do his bidding. This land
could then be granted to another
Thus grew up the famous Feudal
System which mad. the entire popu-
lation servants of the monarch. As
this system gradually died out and
men ceased to render yearly military
service for it, the land remained
in the. hands of the descendants OF
r.iose to whom it was originally
granted. As the result Of this q de-
structive Landlord system grew. up
and in some countries remains to
this day, acting as a milestone about
the necks of the people.
II was not only in material things
that we found a great inequality, but
with this as q basis there was and is
a class distinction which those who
are born in this country find II diff
ficult to understand. In many coun-
tries one set Of laws applied to the
common people, another set to the
and no matter what man
might do he could not overstep the
barrier which divided these classes.
This class distinction still holds good
in many countries tho now all gov
erned by the same laws.
Contrast this if you can, with
our own beloved nation. Instead OF
land being granted by tyrant kings
to make crawling sycophants OF their
subjects, it was granted by Mother
Nature to those who had the hardi-
hood to redeem it from the forest and
the roaming savage. Those hardy
pioneers breathed freedom and in
dependence in their every day lives
and would brook no infringement Of
their rights for anything a king could
offer. 59a
Now that our country has grown
to be the great giant of the world,
the question arises, "What shall we
do with our Power?" Perhaps mill
tary men think we should build up
an overwhelming army and navy
that we may, if necessary, conquer
and rule just as Rome conquered and
ruled most of the countries Of the
world. This, no doubt, would furnish
an abundance Of political jobs fol-
civilians and soft places for military
chieftians. az
However can think of nothing
more ignoble than this. 1t would be
turning back the clock 500 years
it would be STOPPING to crafty
l.ie mercenary passions of self-seek.
ing politicians and would be con-
demned by every man or woman who
is working for the uplift Of humanity
Americas opportunities are bound
less. Our people should develop oul
natural resources to the limit, the
land should be titled economically
the forests should be used but be
regrown; the mines should be scien-
tifically operated; the factories
should be run in a way mutually
congenial and profitable to owners
and workers. ssa
OF equal importance is the mental
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