The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-01-25
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1922.

It is a fact that some two years age
the farmers, merchants, and for that
matter. everybody else, was swim
ming along on what appeared to be q
food tide. Money seemed to be 50
plentiful that most people got bit
reckless. But there was one feature
Of those happy, foolish days that We
shall always cherish: The people
seemed to stand together. The was
love feast on every hand. During ali
that happy, foolish year we 90 no.
remember to have heard n farmc"
complain about merchant robbine
him, nor town dweller complain tha
the farmer was robbing him. Each
seemed willing to pay, all seemed glad
that others were "fush" with Coin.
1t was beautiful to see how men Of
oil occupations dwelt together iii
brotherly love. Now that We have all
gotten bit 'groggy" On our pins,
one hears frequently some word Of
suspicion spoken by enc individual OF
certain occupation concerning an
other Of a different occupation. What.
has changed the situation? The man
ifest injustces appear Frequently.
These factors have bred suspicion. We
are not nearly so willing to cooperate.
We are feeling the pinch and We
frown. Anybody can smile when all is
right with the world, including him
self, but not everyone can smile when
the clouds hang low. But did you ever
think that the time to stand together
was in the day of stress? Standing
shoulder to shoulder wins the battle
and, eventually, the war. There is
hundred times more need for the
spirit of good will, cooperation and
kindness one for another than there
was two years ago. Each Of us needed
less help, less sympathy, less coopera-
ton then, than now; or we thought
SO, at any rate. But today there is
brewing the spirit OF mistrust. Self
ish interest cannot hide it's nakedncss
when storms come. Fear is n great
breeder of rogues and, also, Of op-
pressors. We are afraid we are going
70 fail, therefore we demand settle
ment irrespective of the debtors stu
alton. We fear failure, therefore we
out wages before it is necessary. We
fear the engine is going to stall, there
fore we cease to fire up! Of course 1t
is going to stop! We fear our neigh
bor is going to cheat us, get ahead
of us, take advantage of us. there
fore we prepare for him--we act first!
Thus do we bring to pass the very
thing we feared would come--we force
our neighbor to be a knave. When
business is fat with us We look upon
our ncighbor's thriving business with
complacency, even going so far as to
wish MIN well. When business slumps
We begin to suspect oar competitors;
we begin to wish him not so well; we
grow suspicious of him; then do we
begin to fear him; and, next do we
wrong him. It is not really that we
hate him; we fear him. And, the same
thinE that applies TO Us in regard t,
him, also applies to him in regard to
us. Therefore doth the ugly thing
OF evil, fratricidal war come in. Tut.
tut! Tis a pity we could not rcaIz,
that in the stormy sea every man l.
needed to man the vessel; in the day
Of battle each should find slppori
from his comrade; when the breakers
are ahead each should pull with steady
stroke and in unison. Union County
and for that matter, every county in |
the South needs today, more than any
other one thing, confidence, coopera-
ton, fellowship. Call it preaching, if |
you will. 1t is good gospel, at any
rate. And there will come no abiding |
peace, no abounding prosperity, no |
uniform uplight in any other way.
WE WILL DEAL FAIRLY.