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Show An Independent Paper Published Under :: the Management of T. L. Holman :: j . f Prohibition yfc ;HE millennium approaches. But three moro I C J days of grace remain for the sinner to look upon the wine when it is red. When the clock strikes the midnight hour on Tuesday I next it will toll the death knell of old John Bar-t Bar-t leycorn. Booze will become an outlaw iby edict of the royal will of the people of Utah and will he 1 1 forever banished from the state. With the pass- ing of the saloon and the cabaret the social life I of the community will undergo a radical change - , L and it is to be hoped that the new order of things I will bear out the fondest hopes of those respon- ! bible for the transformation. I Many good citizens contemplate the immediate outlook with grave concernment. Some choose to , ; view the prospects as an impending calamity as i though the end of the world was at hand. To i I ' the unfortunate person who has acquired an all-T all-T absorbing thirst, the situation resolves itself into 1 a matter of vital moment. He who was once the j object of public censure will now receive condors condo-rs lences instead. Here and there will be found H faomeono foolish enough to attempt to fortify him- self against the inevitable by laying in a stock m of supplies, but that will amount to nothing more j than a postponement of the evil day. The U3e ft of fire-water has been doomed. It is ordained H that Utah shall be bone dry and the sooner this W state of affairs is reached, the better. r In times past we have honestly opposed the prohibition movement for reasons that would now E be trite to repeat, but the expressed will of the majority has over-ruled our humble opinion and rt we accept the sweeping decision with all good V grace. And while we have been able to recon- f cile ourselves to the new order of things, wo J IjK are not altogether sanguine over the outlook. Our H prohibition friends have pictured a rosy prospect, ' flf indeed, but they are bound to find some flaws m B: the masterpiece when the full light is turned S upon the canvas. Much as it is to be desired, it K is doubtful whether prohibition will furnish ub B with a short cut to heaven. Some of us have yet mk to learn that it is impossible to legislate morality H into men and women. The devil will still find H much to do; he will simply improvise new tricks m to tempt us and persist in plying his trade H . amongst such mortals as are susceptible to his B wiles. The fact that they drink water will not K daunt him in the least. B And so we venture the prediction that the H penitentiaries will still continue to do a tlniving B business; that husbands will still quarrel with BL their wives; that the young folks will still stay I out late at night; that the clubs will still find some means to promote conviviality and keep men away from home; that the divorce mills will still continue to grind; that the churches will still have vacant pews and that many of the preachers will still find themselves short in their salaries. We are even willing to wager tfiat the Betterment League will continue to be a going concern, and that it will find plenty to do if it will only remove its blinders. But there is this to say: Prohibition will redeem many a soul that strong drink has ruined; it will put food into many a hungry mouth; it will repair many a broken heart and scatter sunshine in many an unhappy home. This is full compensation in itself, and tne very thought of it should comfort some of us old reprobates as we from time to time encounter the inconvenience of having to resort to the old-fashioned old-fashioned method of quenching our thirst with buttermilk or curing our colds with coal oil or peppered "speck." ; H Yankee Humor M HE gift of humor is the saving grace of ' H y many a difficult situation and Americans ' possess this admirable trait to a remarkable de- ill gree. It is traditional that no matter how dark H the day or hard the going wo as people are able I 'H to sift some humor out of th" situation, and the rl fact that Ave are beginning d manifestations ijH of it on every hand leads n i believe that col- H lectively we are rapidly recovi.ing our customary tl sanity. H For instance: Our soldiers had hardly landed jH in France when they announced that they intend- i fll cd to "can the Kaiser." At first blush this in- ll tensely amused our English friends who, with ll their own inimitable appreciation of humor, i i fuund great delight in contemplating the prospect (il of the American army's expressed intention of 'il bottling up the German war lord and hermetically Vill sealing him in a retainer figuratively speaking, ufl of course. The dense Britons apparently never ' (f heard of the derivation of the term "can," as i i used in this sense, and the thought that It might i t M perhaps allude to the time-honored practice of ' M tying a tin can to a dog's tail to get rid of him ll never once entered their heads. All of 'which ll simply added to the sport when the Americans TM learned of the interpretation that had been put M upon their slang. M Since then, our boys have become a trifle more explicit in their lingo and are less liable to be M misunderstood. A catchy song has been improv- H ised, entitled "Can The Kaiser," which is sung to H the stirring tune of "Dixie." Here it is: IH In khaki suit and army visor, !H All aboard to can the Kaiser, " IH Look away: Look away: Look away: IjH Germany. H In Kaiserland he reigns alone. lH We'll push the Kaiser off his tin one, IH Look away: Look away: Look away: H Germany. H Then I want to can the Kaiser: H Hooray: Hooray: H In Kaiserland I'll take my stand H Until I can the Kaiser. M Let's go, let's go, let's go and can the kaiser. H Let's go, let's go, let's go and can the kaiser. H iH But the boys at the front do not have a monop- M oly on Improvising the humorous sayings and ' M songs that tend to lighten the load of war. Over jH on the coast the Californians have adopted the iB following song, entitled "The Battle-Cry of Feed H 'Em," a parody on The Battle Cry of Freedom: H We'll rally round the hoe, boys, and join the H ranks of toil, ' Shouting the battle-cry of "Feed 'Em:" H ' I ' I , w ji Vl We'll train the crops to grow, boys, as tillers of f the soil, H) -'Shouting the battle-cry of "Feed 'Em:" R Where there is work to do, boys, we'll gather on j the spot, H! Shouting the battle-cry of "Feed 'Em:" i To duty we'll be true, boys, and till the vacant H Shouting the battle-cry of "Feed 'Em:" H Nature, kind mater, will aid in. our need: tt Down with the tater and out Avith the weed: U So we'll rally round the hoe, boys, and train the H crops to grow, H Shouting the battle-cry of "Feed 'Em:" M And perhaps the finest sense of humor of all B the offerings to date is to be found in the follow- M ing lines penned by an unknown author from the m Atlantic seaboard. They are sung to the tune H of "Tenting On the Old Camp Ground": m Many are the backs that are weary tonight, M From using the spade and the hoe; M Many are the men who are straining their sight M Watching for the stuff to grow. H Planting tonight, planting tonight, H Planting in the old backyard. H That Americans have begun to revive the H Yankee humor which characterized their fore- H bears and are singing while at work, whether on H the battle front or in the fields back home, is H indeed a most wholesome situation. H Kerensky, The Patriot Hj HE startling success that the young Russian H Vw war minister has achieved is without paral-H paral-H lei in modern annals. And yet, as one ponders H his announced policies and his striking personalis personal-is ity, it docs not seem strange that he should be H able to impress his countrymen with the wisdom H of his convictions and the absolute sincerity of H his purpose. Kerensky is not a demagogue. He H is essentially a patriot of the highest order. His H wonderful opportunity to serve Russia came not of H his own choosing, but because Destiny marked H him as the man to lead his suffering compatriots H out of the darkness into the light. It is always H so: Once to every nation comes the moment to . H decide and invariably there appears upon the hazy H horizon an overshadowing personality an emis-H emis-H sary of humanity some great soul who has been H ordained to speak for his people, and when he H summons they come, and where he leads they fol-H fol-H low with implicit confidence. Thus it is that na-H na-H tions are born. H In quoting from Kerensky's address to the Con- H gress of Peasants' delegates recently, we leave it Hj to the reader to decide whether or not his remark- B able words breathe the inspiration of the true M patriot: M "Soldiers, sailors, officers, I call upon you to make a last heroic effort. I am your servant. H Help me to show the world that the Russian army H is not a demolished temple, but that it is strong m and formidable, capable of making itself respected H and of defending the free republic of democratic m Russia. M "It may appear strange that I, a civilian, who B was never a soldier, have undertaken the heavy Hh task of restoring discipline in the army, but I M have accepted it because I understand that this H discipline is based on honor, duty and reciprocal M' respect. I have never known what this discipline H is, but nevertheless I propose to introduce an H irondiocipline into the army, and I am sure that B I shall succeed. This discipline is necessary, not H only at the front, but also in the interior of the country, in order to bring the liberty that has been won into the Constituent Assembly." And then, in speaking to another delegation, ho stated the following: "As long as I am minister of war no attempt at a counter revolution is possible. I shall serve the people to the last drop of my blood. Wo have announced to the whole world our desire for peace, not because we are powerless, but because we have confidence in our strength. Our now regime re-gime has for its aim complete union with the Allies." In the above superb language the young Russian Rus-sian patriot declares himself to be the servant of his people. Who knows but that ho will yet prove to bo their saviour? Of Course, We'll Win XN the rush of events during the past several sev-eral weeks we had completely lost track of our old friend, William Jennings Bryan; due perhaps to the fact that he has had nothing to say. But now he has broken; the silence and admonishes ad-monishes us that "we must win" the war. Of course we must win, and we will win the war; and not 2 single man among us has entertained any other prospect until the Commoner suggested the possibility. Moreover, he reminds us that "we are In the war by the action of Congress." That may be so, technically speaking, but the general supposition has been that we are in the war because of the acts of Germany. We quite agree with him, however, how-ever, that "the quickest way to peace is to go straight through , no matter how long the war lasts or how mucli it costs." But whnt called for this remark? Is it possible that Mr. Bryan is fearful of the administration shifting ground, as it has in times past when he was more closely identified with it? If so, we have only to advise him that the American people are behind this war 'and that they propose seeing it through, irrespective of the petty plans of politicians politi-cians and peace advocates. It is also apparent that the. President has finally set his stakes in solid soil and proposes to drive straight ahead. This granted, then even Mr. Bryan must admit that the President and the people form a pretty hefty combination to carry on the conflict. Although no one can successfully challenge his patriotism as he views things still it would appear ap-pear that the Commoner has not been able to completely reconcile himself to America's entrance en-trance into the world war. Else why would he say: "Had we remained neutral wo might have been able to act as mediator and thus rendered an important service to' the world. In entering the war, however, -we surrendered that opportunity oppor-tunity and incurred the enmity of the central powers." pow-ers." That may be true, but it is a pity that Mr. Bryan cannot see, as others see, that the awakening of our national conscience and the rehabilitation re-habilitation of our honor and dignity and prowess among the nations more than compensates for the ill-will we have incurred from the central powers. pow-ers. As matters now stand, wo will most certainly cer-tainly participate in the peace councils and will have considerably more to say than had we followed fol-lowed Mr. Bryan's advice and, by pursuing peace without honor, had earned the just contempt of all the nations. Germany's New Chancellor Q CLOAK ot -nystery seems to enshroud Dr. Michaelis, the man who has been summoned to succeed Bethmann Hollweg as the chancellor of the German empire. Although long in the service ser-vice of the fatherland, he has been so little in the public eye that even his own people are guessing as to the real significance of his selection. Even Berlin assures us that he cannot bo identified with any faction this too, in a country where factional fac-tional feeling runs high and the question comes whether this will not prove to be a weakness. All of which reminds us of a local political incident several years ago when Harry Joseph was berating a certain Republican candidate for office because he refused to pay his campaign assessment. as-sessment. The. indignant chairman of finances did not mince words in discussing the short-comings of the penurious politician and by way of comparison went on to say: "Why, when Jody El-dredge El-dredge and I were on the ticket two years ago, we not only paid our assessments but went up and down the county spending our money like drupken sailors." "How then," some wag interrupted, inter-rupted, "do you account for the fact that you and Jody ran behind the ticket?" "Oh, that's easy," he replied, "the people knew us better than they did the other candidates." There was considerable consider-able truth in the remark, which only goes to prove the rule that the less people know about a man the higher he stands in the public estimation. Perhaps the kaiser had this in mind when ho appointed ap-pointed Michaelis to the chancellorship. Speaking seriously, however, it does not seem that the Socialists and the peace element gained much of a victory after all. The now chancellor was entirely too complimentary to his predecessor predeces-sor and spoke too well of his administration to . give any assurance that he intends to effect a substantial change in the war policies of the empire. em-pire. Ho even seemed to balk at a plain and positive posi-tive enunciation of the "peace without indemnities indemni-ties or annexation" policy which is rapidly gaining gain-ing favor throughout Germany, and the only notable not-able statement in his maiden speech to the Reich- I stag was the depreciation o the effect of America's Ameri-ca's entrance into the Avar. Ho reminded his hearers, hear-ers, of course, that Germany was now waging the war purely in self defense, and while this is a far cry from the arrogant claim of the imperial government a few years ago, still tho chancellor certainly cannot take credit for its origin. And so a careful survey of Dr. Michaelis' first utterance leaves little upon which to judge his character or calibre or the reason for his elevation eleva-tion to the highest office in the empire. It may be, that because he is less arrogant that his predecessor, pred-ecessor, and not so personally objectionable to the people, he will be able to speak for the kaiser and the war lords in a more satisfactory manner. This for the reason that the opinion still holds that the most he can aspire to is to bo a pleasing mouthpiece for the dictators of tho empire. em-pire. There is a possibility, however, that ho may prove to be of some service in the matter of raising rais-ing the much needed revenues, for he is said to be a financial genius of the first order. The sinews of war are now of first concern in Germany and if tho chancellor is able to do the double role of soft-soaping the people while he hides tho military mili-tary chiefs behind his skirts, he may yet prove his right to wear the robes. The perplexing situation affords him abundant opportunity to distinguish himself. Time To Wake Up XF Governor Bamberger and his associates on the state road commission will take the trouble to read between the lines of the resolutions resolu-tions adopted at the good roads convention last week, they will find much food for thought. As matters stand, the state administration is in more or less disrepute in the rural districts because be-cause of its road-building program or rather, the abandonment of the road-building program. War or no war, the cow counties want passable roads and they are not feeling any too kindly over the treatment they have received to date. Much time and attention was given to good roads legislation in the last session of the legislature legis-lature and after its adjournment the claim was made that this state administration was now prepared pre-pared to do more for the permanent improvement of the roads than all previous administrations combined. Why not? Hadn't they reorganized the road commission, substituting elective state officials for engineers? And did they not repeal the law providing for a paltry annual appropriation appropria-tion to the several counties of $10S,000, and provide pro-vide in its stead for a road bond issue of $2,-000,000? $2,-000,000? They were surely dealing with big figures fig-ures on paper some five months back, but so far the poor devils out in the sagebrush haven't been able to realize five cents on the dollar on the promises that were written into tho 1017 statutes. The cow county contingent are still using the sheep trails for highways and, according accord-ing to certain members of the state road commission, commis-sion, they "ought to thank the Lord for that." We understand that a group of representative business men are leaving the city today to visit the Uintah Basin in the interest of a proposed railroad. Perhaps they will be able to put it over this time and if they do it will be a blessing. But unless they are dead sure of their ground, ihhy had better be careful what they promise the na tives over there. The inhabitants on the reservation reser-vation have been fooled so often by railroad pro moters that they have grown a bit chary. Of course, nothing would please them more than to ' see a real honest-to-goodness railroad laid down before their eyes in the basin, but they would be very well satisfied for some time to come if they just had decent highways. And so we venture the assertion that if, instead of promising the natives a railroad, the Salt Lake delegation could honestly assuro them that the state road com- mission is awako to the situation and will build a permanent roadway from the railroad into tho reservation, their words would fall on more willing will-ing ears and a rousing welcome would be assured. It is said that they are to carry a message of good cheer and kindly interest from the governor to the citizens of the basin. The probabilities are that the return message will be more to tho point. Presidential Perplexities yIIEREVER one's sympathies may rest in the vl Goethals-Denman controversy, it must bo admitted that President Wilson settled the row without showing a particle of fear or favor to anyone concerned. We acknowledge feeling partial par-tial to General Goethals and regret the circumstances circum-stances by which ho was shorn of the opportunity to go ahead and build the emergency fleet in his own way; but after all, the welfare of the country coun-try is paramount to the whims of any Individual or group of individuals, and the President deserves de-serves full commendation for cleaning the slate and turning the control of the merchant marine over to unprejudiced executives. This summary action ought to sound a note of warning to certain cabinet members and heads of departments whose acts of omission and commission com-mission have been of far greater consequence than those of either Goethals or Denman. If one reads the signs aright, the official heads of some of these fine fellows, who persist in obstructing the administration by over-exercising their official prerogatives and the attendant red tape,, are likely to fall in the basket when the President begins be-gins to swing his axe in earnest. The moral ef feet of what has already happened is immeasurable, immeasur-able, and the public will stand solidly behind tho executive when he undertakes to sweep the incompetents in-competents and the trouble-makers out of office. Being a war president of these United States is just about the biggest job imaginable. President Presi-dent Wilson has assumed tho responsibility in dead earnest and is entitled to the unflinching support of his subordinates. In making his tremendous tre-mendous decisions he is compelled to act almost entirely upon the information supplied by those under him and it is imperative that he be afforded af-forded tho very best advice obtainable. Hence it follows that unless he is surrounded by reliable re-liable lieutenants the whole organization of the administration will be impaired. His is indeed a most perplexing position, and it will take considerable con-siderable firmness and finesse to iron out tho wrinkles in the administration, as at present constituted. con-stituted. i . 1. 1 mi ff-ry i ii iii m.r';.g- MtiMMmaCgSi ' Mi I'll ihmiib'ii i 111 Uprising Of The Farmers 911 XT would not bo at all surprising to seo the liH farmers of the country organize along pol- . ',j itical lines and present a solid front in tho next JM campaign. North Dakota has already pointed out ' WR tho way and tho farmers of that stato have JlH taken rapid strides in that direction. They j IH elected a governor last fall by a plurality of G7,000 i 'WR votes in a total of 110,000 votes cast. Recently i 1H they elected a congressman on tho same issue ' H and ho goes to the national capital to ropresont ' M tho interests of the farmers and nothing olse. ' jl This success has been due to the fact that tho , IfM rural citizens cut loose from tho old political ' hIH parties and effected an organization of their own j' WM called tho Farmers' Non-Partisan League. It has ' ' iH a corps of organizers that cover the stato in H seven hundred Fords and keep tho league in first class fighting shape. Tho league is in favor of H state-owned grain elevators, and the exemption H of improvements from taxation. It also advocates tH that slaughter houses and railroad terminals be 11 operated by the state. On this platform tho farm- 91 ors havo not only been successful in electing a 11 governor and congressman but have captured all 11 the other state offices as well. Their activities have completely demoralized the old lino parties 11 and the new organization promises to control af- H fairs within the stato for a long time to como. jH A political revolution of some sort or other has 11 long been expected in the country but it was jH thought that such a movement would most likely , M spring from another source. Labor has been M threatening to do this very thing for a number of years, but the farmers have the jump on them tM now and it will be interesting to watch develop- . H ments. The daily press, the rural free delivery, rM the telephone and tho automobile have have ac- complished wonders in the rural regions and tho J 11 farmer is beginning to "feel his oats." He will 'a jH bear watching, for once he is able to perfect his H organization it will be an easy matter for him H to dictate the political policies of the nation. 1H Bryan To Have Competition H yHE announcement that ex-President William 1H H. Taft is to enter the chautauqua circuit H this summer is causing no end of comment IH among the exchanges. Mr. Bryan has so long H held a monopoly in this field that it is quite nat- tH ural his friends should view with alarm the pros- iH pects of such formidable competition as Mr. Taft H will be likely to furnish. And so, instead of ex- H tending to the ex-president the hand of profes- H sional fellowship and welcoming him into Hie H order, the Commoner and his cohorts are dls- . H posed to raise the question of propriety end re- H hash all of the old criticisms that were offered H when the latter was Secretary of State. IH One Democratic contemporary wants to know H "if the Republican newspapers see any demagog- H ery or self-seeking in Mr. Taft's conduct, and if Mr. Roosevelt will lampoon him as being a rival H attraction to the two-headed calf, as ho did Mr. fl Bryan." Certainly no one will presume to answer H as to what view Col. Roosevelt will take of tho H matter, but so far as tho general public is con- H cerned the probabilities are that there will bo H no criticism of Mr. Taft's new venture. It should H he recalled that the former president is a poor man; ho has not been blessed with the acquisitive H faculty that characterizes the Commoner, and has . H usually experienced considerable difficulty in fl making both ends meet. But whether his object II is to make money or to just make a living, he is ffl not at present holding a high position of honor VM and trust in tho government nor will be tour the ll circuit on tho people's time. That ought to make jfl some difference. ' fl -' |