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Show POLITICAL AGITATORS POLITICIANS WHO CAPITALIZE STRIFE A MENACE TO GOVERNMENT. Neglect of Agricultural and Industrial Opportunities a National Crime. By Peter Radford. There never was a time In the history his-tory of this nation when we needed, statesmen more or agitators less than; at the present moment. The opportunities oppor-tunities now afforded us on land and sea demand the best there is in statecraft state-craft and the possibilities that are confronting con-fronting us call for national Issues that unite the people, build industry and expand trade. The agricultural and industrial development of this nation has suffered severely at the hands of agitators who have sent torpedoes crashing into the port side of business and whose neglect of the interests of the farmer makes them little less than political criminals. We want no more of these evil spirits to predominate in government. Too long their hysterical cry has sent a shiver down the spinal column of Industry. Too long have the political agitators capitalized strife, pillaged progress and murdered opportunity. An industrial indus-trial corpse is not a desirable thing, a crippled business an achievement or neglect an accomplishment about which any representative of the government gov-ernment has a right to boast. Issues that Breed Agitators Should be Eliminated. The political agitator must be eliminated elim-inated from public life before thoughtful thought-ful consideration can be given to a constructive program in government The liquor question is the most prolific pro-lific breeding ground for agitators and whether pro or anti, the hatch 1b equally as undesirable. This article is in no sense a discussion of the liquor li-quor question but deals solely and by way of illustration with the political products of that issue. Other subjects sub-jects will be dealt with in the order of their importance. In the history of our government the liquor issue has never produced a constructive statesman worth mentioning men-tioning and it never will. It has sent more freaks to Congress, Lilliputians to the Senate and incompetents to office than any other political issue under the sun. The recent experience of the English Eng-lish Parliament which lashed itself into a fury over the liquor question has a lesson that it is well for the farmers of this nation to observe; for the subject in some form or other is constantly before the public for solution solu-tion and ofttimes to the exclusion of more important problems to the American Amer-ican plowmen. Too Many Political Drunkards. Lloyd-George, the Prohibition leader of Europe whr led the prohibition fight in England, has declared that he will never again take a drink politically and there are many American politicians politi-cians pro and anti who would render their country a service by climbing on the water wagon or signing a pledge of political temperance. Too often our legislative halls are turned into political bar-rooms and many of the members become intoxicated on liquor discussions. We have too many polit-ico.l polit-ico.l drunkards pro and anti in our public affairs. No one who is a slave to the political liquor habit is quite so capable of dealing with the business busi-ness affairs of government as the sober and industrious. We have few public men in this day who are strong enough to resist the temptation of strong drink politically and when the demon Rum once becomes firmly entrenched en-trenched in the mind of a politician, he is less capable of meeting the demands de-mands for constructive statesmanship now confronting this nation. We have In this country too many red-nosed politicians both pro and anti A candidate with political delirium deli-rium tremens, a preacher with political politi-cal snakes In his boots and an agitator drunk on the liquor question are the saddest sights in civilization and they should all be forced to take the political polit-ical Keeley Cure. It is far more Important in government govern-ment to make it easier for those who toil to eat than to make it more difficult dif-ficult for a few topers to drink. There is not one person in one hundred of our rural population that ever touches liquor but we all eat three times a day. |