The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-10-22

there will or will not be strike on all the rail-
ways in the United States the end of next week or
a week from today, is the matter of right and
wrong. A peruSal of the newspapers throughout
the country reveals wide divergence of opinion
Of course there are corporation-owned papers
that romp on the railroad men, holding that there
is neither rhyme in their attitude. Then
there is another class, type that is rapidly dis
appearing from the scene of this worlds activities
that comes to the rescue of the railway men. cham
pioning their cause but often with such jealous
ness that the grand-stand play is quite apparent
In each case purely selfish interest is the actuat-
ing principle. There are those who see right and
justice in some degree on both sides and it would
seem the duty of government to discern that right
and justice and act accordingly The great mass
cs of the people do not want to the railway
men placed at the mercy of capital this would
mean a retrogression to days of long ago. Neither
is there an inclination to back the corporations
except in so far as to maintain in security the
rights of property Frankly the issue is coming
unless sane heads take the helm the public is bound
to suffer. Surely there is way OUT the next few
days will tell. But let us not forget that we do
not want return to economic conditions where
the great masses of the people have not the where
witha to feed themselves and their families, clothe
the naked and give the children the education to
which they are entitled; this in addition to laying
aside something for the time when the wage
Garner has gone to his reward or is unable longer
to labor at accustomed tasks. America ought to
be land of universally cpntented and reasonably
prosperous families: it is this thing called selfish
ness that causes all this hell on earth and makes
set of men grasping at the expense
OF their fellows. The science of government is
advancing but evidently pot to the point where
1t can overcome some of the baser traits of human
nature Right now is time for the cultivation
of broad charity on the part of both sides to
the controversy. Some profess to believe that the
only solution is the ownership, and the operation,
of all the railways of the country by the govern
ment. If the professional politician could be
eliminated, that would be possible of achievement
but the problem is how to get rid of the politician
and the CRATER. Let us hope and pray for better
things this coming week.
In The Pirates of Pelzance" the policeman's
chorus sings these words: The policeman's lot
is not happy one" Governor Morrison of North
Carolina thinks that very same thing This week
has been for him the most trying in all his ex-
perience. This Saturday night he in all prob
ability wishes he had never seen the governors
chair because of having to condemn to death
fellow citizen in another kind of chair, the electric
chair in the state penitentiagy at Raleigh He held
out against urgent and pathetic pleas for clemency
for man who had slain one of his fellows, re-
fusing to commute the sen ence of the court or to
interfere with due process pf law The wife. son
and daughter of the condemned man pleaded for
days that he mi ht be spared, but Governor Nor
rson was firm in his stand that the law must take
its course. The strain of the incident brought on
nervous breakdown and there may have been
palliating circumstances but the North Carolina
governor was right in unfolding the court and
ne majesty OF ne law.
Considerable bitterness is said to prevail in
Jacksonville over the outcome of the trials of At
torney Pope and Frank Rawlins in connection
with the Staying of Manager Hickman of the
Palace theater of Jacksonville. When Rawins
was captured few minutes after he shot and
killed Hickman there were threats of immediate
lynchlng but the mob was prevailed upon to let
the law take its course. The outcome has been
disappointment to all who have followed the case
but now that life sentences have been imposed it is
to be hoped the two men will not have their names
among the list of applicants for pardon within the
next two or three years. They should serve out
every minute of their sentence.