The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1946-09-26
Open Forum
COLUMN
FOR THE VOICE OF THE
PEOPLE
REFORMS SHOULD BE MADE
THROUGH LEGAL CHANNELS

It is inconsistent in a democ-
racy to assume tn lat tw o
wrongs make right. True, there
are many laws that should be
amended and some that should
be repealed. The remedy, there
fore, should be not by force, but
by a vote of the people.
In former days it was the gen.
eral policy to bring about changes
by might rather than by the prin-
ciple of right. For centuries man,
though created in the image of
the Creator, failed to do differ
emily from the lower forms OF
creation. To achieve his ends he
resorted to the most barbarous
methods imaginable. Human life
was second to the greed for land
and money, for fame, or for po-
litical power.
The first radical departure from
these heathenish practices was set
up by the Prince of Peace about
two-thousand years ago. Since
that time some strides and sue
cesses have been made along this
line, but the world is far from
the desired goal.
From the landing of the Pill
grims this nation has been a sort
of Beacon Light for all the ma
tons of the world, but before we
could really call this country a
nation we had to fight through
four colonial wars and a revolu-
ton.
Valley Forge, Yorktown, the
Declaration of Independence, and
the formation of our Constitu-
ton are key words in the strug-
gle we have made to put our ma
ton in possession of the heritage
of equal rights to all and spe-
cial privileges to none," and
thereby settle our differences by
legitimate means.
It is true that we have some
boss rule, that capital and labor
are often at daggers points, that
race riots loom on the horizon,
and that strikes and other spac
modic troubles at this particular
time paint dark picture. But,
as the front nation in the world
in science, education, and Chris
tianity, have we come to the
point where we shall use the bay
onet, shot and shell to settle our
differences, especially when many
of these differences are merely
honest differences of opinion?
While we take off our hats to
those boys who have given their
all" and to those who offered
to do so, would it not be wiser
for them (and most of them will
gladly do so) to help bring peace
out of chaos under the law rath-
er than have the Germans, Japs,
and other enemies of democracy
to point the finger of derision at
us as nation, and tell the world
that democracy is a farce and that
what we claim to stand for is as
sounding brass and a tinkling
cymbal?"
One special thing for us to
learn is that this is a heterogen-
eous world made up of different
races, creeds, clans, and colors,
and that it is as impossible to per-
fectly harmonic all these indi-
vidual differences as it would be
to harmonic the positive and the
negative forces of electricity, or
to reverse the law of gravita-
ton.
1t is self evident that the divine
purpose is to transform the low
er strata of society into higher
one, but that it should not be done
abruptly. 1t must be done through,
and by education. The spark
could, and should be started in
the home, but the flame should
be famed in the school room
all the way down from the pri-
mary grades through the colleges
and universities. This should be
supplemented by the press and
from the pulpit throughout the
whole world. BY this means the
day spoken of by the prophet
would soon be ushered in when
the implements of war would be
changed into those of peace and
happiness throughout the world.
c. M. DICKSON,
Silas Creek, N. c.
H. Sept. 9, 1916.