, 1923-02-21

woods theme was the torrent Of destructive propa,
ganda which is poured into the ears of the people
through the mediums of the press, the pulpit and
the platform. He not only showed that such prop
uganda had no justification in existing conditions
in this country, but that, If persisted in and en-,
couraged, 1t would end in a program that would
menace all business, industry, prograss, orderly in
s]titutions and even the government itself.
In part Mr.. Lockwood said:
The greatest contribution 1t would be possible
for patriotic men and women to make TO their
c%ountry's welfare at this time would be to get the
American people out Of the political and economic
dumps and arouse in them a full realization and
active appreciation of their blessings and their
opportunities.
Never before did there beat against the founda'
tions of our governmental structure so high and
strong a tide of popular unrest.
The causes of this unrest are as many as the
waves that rise on the surface of a storm-tossed
sea. Many of them have little or no real relation
to government; many are the consequence of pol,
icies and programs it is no longer possible to
change because they are of the past.
Many Of those now deeply dissatisfied have views
as to the causes and remedies of evils real and
imagined that are in direct conflict with the views
Of as many other malcontents, the only point of
agreement is in assault upon the existing order,
which, if long continued, in its present vigor and
venom, will threaten the stability of government
and society.
No. demagpgue today believes he has lived up to
his opportunities unless he has painted as black
a picture as possible of existing conditions.
Like the quack medicine vendor operating under
a gasoline torch at the village street corner, he
must make people believe that they feel all the
dread symptoms of the disease for which he offers
a sure remedy at so much per bottle. The chief
crime of the demagogue against popular govern.
ment is that he constantly seeks to inject into the
veins of the people the envenomed virus of pessim.
ism.
Since the days of the Greek democracy the dem
agogue has taught the black gospel that whatever
is, is wrong; that government is an engine of op.
preston operated by corrupt officials for the ex.
ploitation of the people; that he, the demngogue, is
the only honest man in public life and that the only
hope of Improvement is the promOtion of himself
to some place of power.
The political adFenturer, however, is not the
only preacher of pessimism in public affairs.
The thoughtless citizen who may have no polit.
lCal purpose in view, but who, with all the bless
ings and opportunities Of free institutions, feels
the pinch of governmental regulation, restriction
or taxation somewhere, is often all too ready to
join his voice to that of the very agitator who will,
when opportunity comes infinitely multiply the ex.
actions of government.
The conservative citizen who does not like pro-
hibition and probably did nothing to prevent the
adoption of the constitutional amendment which
has made it a fixed governmental policy, cries out
against the federal instrumentalities which enforce
the law.
The substantial property owner who may have
enjoyed and profited by the war while it was on,
now shrieks against government because the war
debt must be paid through the levying of taxes on
the only source from which taxes can come namely
private property.
The importing interests, cut off by a protective
tariff measure from further opportunity for inor-
dinate profit, spread the doctrine that the new tar
iff law was framed in the interests of the rich for
the purpose of robbing the poor.
The international banker and the sentimental
internationalist accuse the national government of
the most sordid motives in refusing to involve the
United States in the political and financial bank
ruptcy of Europe.
From these and 100 other sources come the con.
slant cutlery against congress, the president and
against the government, all based upon the selfish
interest of those making these appeals to the ha-
tired and prejudice of the people in a republic where
public opinion rules. All of this outCry is either
purposely or ignorantly adding to the general dis.
satisfaction and unrest which, since the war, has
been easily aroused everywhere in the warld and
which in some parts of the world has overthrow
government and public order and visited untold
miseries upon the masses of the people.
All Of these interests unite in telling the peo-
pie that they are in a desperate plight.
They tell the people not only of the ills they
have, but Of many that are imaginary.
They tell the people not only of the trouble they
are in now, but of the horrible things that are
going to happen to them unless revolutionary
changes are quickly effected.
They magnify the abuses and evils and oppres.
sions of the time until they are viewed with dis.
torted vision by millions.
They tell the farmer that he is "broke' and about
to starvc TO death ut a time when farm land can
not be bought in sections of the country where land
is normally productive, at twice the price per acre
prevailing during the Cleveland panic of~a quarter
of a century ago-a panic from which the country
completely recovered within two years after the
readoptiOn of the protective policy.
With wages higher than ever before in peace
time, with n job available for every mechanic who
wants il, with 1000, 900 men now at work who were
idle when the present administration was inaug.
urated, they accuse congress and the president Of
a desire TO grind down the laboring man and tell
the worker that unless he is getting twice as much
peace time pay as he ever received when demago.