Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 27 April 1923 — Page 2
%
PAUK 2
THE MUNCIE POST-DEMOCRAT
A Democratic weekly newspaper representing the Democrats of Muncie, Delaware county and the Eight Congressional District. The only Democratic newspaper in Delaware County.
Entered as second class matter January 15, 1921, at the postoffice at Muncie, Indiana, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
* TO CELEBRATE FLORIDA’S DISCOVERY AT ST. AUGUSTINE
FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1923, ^BLUmWllLOgi
Subscription Price, $2.00 a year in Advance Office 733 North Elm Street. Telephone 2540 GEO. R. DALE, Owner and Publisher. FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1923.
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS The following paragraph from the opinion of the supreme court of Illinois in the Chicago Tribune libel case, may fail to penetrate the thick skulls of those in Muncie who seek to rule by repression will appreciate the sentiment: “In the second volume of his Constitutional History of England, (7th Ed., 379) May says, ‘Prosecutions for libel, like the censorship, have fallen out of our constitution system. When the press errs, it is by the press itself that the errors arc corrected. Repression has ceased to be the policy of rulers, and statesmen have at length fully realized the wise maxim of Lord Bacon, the punishing of wits enhances their authority, and a forbidden writing is thought to be a certain spark of truth, that files up in the faces of them that seek to tread it out.’ ” Likewise Thomas Jefferson’s utterance in remitting fines and freeing men and women imprisoned under the infamous sedition law of 1798, when, in answer to his critics when he replied: “I discharged every person under punishment or prosecution under the sedition law because I considered, and now consider, that law to be a nullity as absolute and palpable as if congress had) ordered us to fall down and worship a golden image.” The Illinois decision also quotes Cooley, a celebrated legal authority, as follows: “If any such principle of repression should ever be recognized in the common law of America, it might reasonably be anticipated that in times of high party excitement it would lead to prosecutions by the party in power to bolster up wrongs and sustain abuses and oppressions by crushing adverse criticism and discussion. The evil, indeed, could not be of long continuance, for, judging from experience, the reaction would be speedy, thorough and effectual; but it would be no less a serious evil while it lasted, the direct tendency of which would be to excite discontent and to breed a rebellious spirit. Repression of full and free discussion is dangerous in any government resting upon the will of the pepole.” (Cooley’s Const. Lim., 7th ed. H. P. 613, 614.) Summing up, therefore, the weight of the best authorities and delving into history to clinch the point, the Illinois supreme court declared: “It follows, therefore, that every citizen has a right to criticize an inefficient or corrupt government without fear of civil as well as criminal prosecution. This absolute privilege is founded on the principle that it is advantageous for the public interest that the citizen should not be in any way fettered in his states ments and where the public service or due administration of justice is involved he shall have the right to speak his mind freely.” The foregoing excerpts from the Illinois decision may T^ot sound well to the short-sighted enemies of the Post-Democrat who believe that the way to abolish the truth is to cover it up, but they certainly read well to people who ought to know that a free-press, unhampered by threats of fines and imprisonment, is the only guarantee of a free republic. MAKE UP OR TAKE YOUR MEDICINE People who have their houses piped for gas have a pleasant prospect before them. It looks as if they will be forced to use THTfikdrii g&s, which has but half the heat units of natural gas, and will co^t much more'per thousand feet. Appearances indicate that the manufacturers are to get the natural gas, and that the city administration is not going to make a move to prevent the people from being despoiled of their rights. The people of Muncie, the home owners, gave the gas company the right to use the streets and alleys for its lines. The last democratic city administration forced the gas company to shut off the gas at the factories in order to give the domestic consumers a square deal. If the people do not take some steps to protect themselves from the gas company and its confederate, the present city administration, they will find themselves robbed blind and laughed at by the Muncie utility gang and their tools in office.
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
(By The Editor)
•■ms 11*?:
The editor of the Post Democrat i bending every effort on making this
was threatened with five hundred additional prosecutions at the time he was sent to jail for contempt. Possibly there were &ome foolish enough to believe that threats of that kind will serve U) stifle the truth in Muncie. The Post-Demo | erat publishes only the truth and since actual attempts a*, murder and ; frequent threats of murder have failed to scare us into silence, fear i of bodily imprisonment is our slight-
est concern.
For centuries the .peoples of all
VIEWS
be i.eom• oaqeAnt
n .
1 ~ • Ready for the Ponce de Leon Pageant.
! St. Augustine: The discovery ^ of Florida by Ponce de Lee., in 1512
will be celebrated here by a page ! ^ M 4- b 1*\ 1 /"\ b i /"* 1 flTlCl
il 4th, 6th
ent, festival, athletic, i musical program on
I and 6th. Several thousand persons in period costumes will participate in the landing of Ponce dc Leon j from his ancient caraval; in the | scaling of Fort Marion, the first i Spanish stronghold on vhe North I American continent, jilt in' jr>nT>; 1 in the subjugation of the Indians: in the founding of St. Augustine by i Menendez in 1565, as \/Pl as in tlr 1 [ raising of the Stars and Stripes on
j Fort Marion in 182L
i- : Florida towns will send large delegations to participate in the ; pageant which will mark ^ 1 I of first importance in the history of the United States. Although Florida was discovered 4ll years ago its commercial deVelonment dates only-a generation I n k. In 1887 Uenry M. Flagler of Cleyo'and started construction >>f the Ponce de Leon Hotel at St, / -’^ustine and started the great Florida F..." Coast Railway that runs down to
Key Westf traversing''the sea for H8 miles. It was .only 27 years ago that he began construction on the Hotel Royal Palm, ..)e .first building in Miami except an old Indian trading post. Today Miami has a population of 45,000. Florida has a population of over one million. Four and one-half million acres of swamp lands, a. c being re-, claimed in the Everglades. A sugar mill has already been erected at a cost of one and one-half million dollars to crush cgne gre vn on thy reclaimed land. There are five thousand miles of surfaced roads in
the state.
The modern city of St. Augustine ' here the discovery of this commonwealth will he celebrated has preserved more of ’the old Spanish architecture than‘any city in the United States and. more than mo? in South America. It is a starting point for motorists, in Florida and records about 560 arriving cars a day in -winter season. r ..he climate in April is ideal. "Slhe whole country is invited to attend the colorful effrnival and spmds events for which prizes are offered.
the mere possession of liquor is not an offense. These men, who are being punished for a crime which does not exist should be released at once and their fines remitted, with interest. In practically every 6ther comity in the state except. Del a -rffi/j o_.the test case was sent up and reversed, prosecuting attorh /s"are-‘dismis-sing charges against persons charged with the possession of liquor. The well known Janitor parts with his meal ticket with intense reluctance.
a big week. At Minneapolis the Woman’s Community council of which Mi’s. Grace Swift Strong is president, has plans underway for a tree on every hare spot when the spot has been cleaned up. The spring in New York state calls for 10.000 trees in every county. Schools of Middlesex county, Conn., will plant 1,000 trees. In Massachusetts, millions of spruces ana pines will be placed in waste places near
towns.
Louisville and Cincinnati are just
climes have been struggling for lib- completing tree planting drives at oi’ty and the right of free- speech, the direction of the Cincinnati Chapin early days, when the divine right ter of the Wild Flower Preservation •d' kings was unchallenged, the hai’dy society of America, and Miss Em-pionec-rs of free speech who dared ilie Yunker, director of school gar-
criticize the crown, were jspeed'ily ( dens.
executed, but as the world grew old- i
or, and as the list of illiterate ty- 1 rants who died with their hoots on grew longer, the cutthroat plan of repressing free speech was discard!- i cd. and prison sentences were sub- ! stituted. j With the repeal of the infamous ; sedition act a hundred and twenty . live years ago. it was thought that I free speech and a free press were j guaranteed to the people of Ameri- '• ca, but from time to time political j tyrants, invested with brief authori- ! ty, have sought to inflict outrageous punishment upon those who dared to publicly criticize their ofucial acts. Invariably these puny despots have been men of little education and vast.
Mountain Folk
to Get $1,090,000
From Capitalist
Philander Phox—Yes, my dear, I’d like to kiss you but, you know, these blue laws aa-e very strict. His Wife*—All the same. I’ll bet you’ve been, calling on one of those horrid kiss bootleggers.
THE {DUNG-STONE KIND
to be free to administer it as they see fit. It may be found advisaoia to put the money up so that State or Federal funds may become avail-
able.
ACID PHOSPHATE HASTENS MATURITY AND INCREASES
YIELD OF TOMATOES
Now we have it. The world court is all right because it is
GOD, GIVE THEM BRAINS! The “Fiery Cross” will have to make another switch. It spoke too soon when it bawled out “Colonel” Simmons and practically called him a grafter. Simmons and Evans have compromised their feud and the klan is again back to the “God Given Us Ten” basis. Col. Simmons evidently won out, for his privately conducted women’s auxiliary, the “Kamelia”, has been agreed upon as the real, for sure lady klan. Calm outsiders knew all the time that the terrific klan “feud” was merely a sham battle, with peace in sight as soon as a division of the loot could be decided upon by the various colonels, wizards, ghouls and emperors who get the first kount at the kale. The editor of the Fiery Cross is kept so busy changing his name that he fails to keep track of the doings of the klan for which he assumes to be the official spokesman in Indiana.
endorsed by Harding, Root and Taft. The next tiling we know j Washington. April 26—During the
these great tribunes of the common people will be fighting for a
place in history as the three original Wilson men.
FOR GOD, THE FLAG AND PURE WOMANHOOD Doc Coffman, a shining light in Muncie klansmanship, was in Indianapolis the day after the editor of the Post-Democrat was taken to the penal farm for contempt of court, and was blowing his head off about it to various persons down there. Doc surely remembers the letter from Indianapolis concerning him, which was received by the editor of the Post-Democrat, and which we generously declined to publish. The people of Muncie know Doc Coffman and they may properly judge the moral status of the leadership of the Muncie klan by keeping in mind the fact that he is one of the inner circle of one hundred per cent Americas who are sworn to uphold the Christian religion, the flag and pure womanhood. Bah! Get out the formaldehyde tank.
START WITH COCAINE ALLEY The city planning commission, another byproduct of the commercial club, acting in conjunction with the city council, has employed a city planning expert from Indianapolis to formulate a new zoning system for Muncie. We would suggest that his first act should be the tentative drawing of a triumph arch to be erected over Cocaine Alley bearing our famous and truthful slogan, “Muncie Offers More.” With a clear conscience, the city planning shark may then move on to the classic White River tax dodgers’ zone and do what he is being paid for doing.
The Star Thursday morning records the capture, by “Special Agent” Ferdieu, of another “laborer” at the C. & O. yards. Good people, watch the Star and keep track of the triangular performance of the special agent, Sheriff Hoffman and the city court, and remember that Old Mister Goat, the taxpayer, settles the bills. If the few trains on the C. & O. yield such a plentiful harvest of boarders at the county jail, what is the reason that the “special agents’ for the Pennsylvania, Big Four and L. E. & W. are thus overlooking their duty, if duty it is to send all train riders and trespassers to jail for fifteen days? They could easily bring in a dozen or two a day and the jail would have to be enlarged and remodeled again to accommodate them, and the taxrate increased proportionately.
The penal farm is crowded with men convicted on charges of having liquor in their possession. The supreme court declares that
AMERICA’S FAVORITE HYMN “The Etude”, a musical magazine, has recently conducted a Nation wide ballot to ascertain the favorite hymn. More than 32,000 nominations were sent in. “Abide With Me” was the leader, by a considerable majority. “Nearer My God to Thee” is next. “Lead Kingly Light” is third, “Rock of Ages” fourth, with “Ja.r.is Lover of My Soul” and “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty”, as the next in order. The referendum was conducted over a very wide range and may be said to be thoroughly representative as indicative of the choice of this country. In this exhaustive census in which George Agc y Irving Bachellor, Wiiliam Jennings Bryan, Nicholas Murray Butler, George Chadwick, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, Dr. Frank Crane, Cyrus H. 1. Curtis, Bishop Warren B. Candler, Chauncey M. t)epew, Charles W. Eliot, John Drew, Strickland Gillian, Amelita Galli-Curci, John Luther Long, Thurlow Lieurance, Judge Ben M. Lindsay, Edwin Markham, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Dr. Eugene Noble, James H. Rogers, John Phillip Sousa, Henry Van Dyke, Owen, Wistcr were among those who participated. “Abide With Me” was written by the Rev. Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) an obscure English parson, a few hours before his death, after administering a final communion service to His parishoners. The music was composed by a well known English organist and composer, William Henry Monk, (1823-1899). The hymn second in favor is “Nearer My God to Thee.” The words by Sarah Flower Adams and the music by the American musical educator, ] Lowell Mason, (1792-1872). These are the hymns of simple faith, of hope, of reverence. “Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens, Lord with me abide, Swift to its close ebbs out life’s fleeting day— Its glories faced, its kingdoms pass away. Change and decay in all ai’ound I see, O Thou Who changest not, abide with me.” That is the cry from the heart of reverent America—the appeal of the wanderer lost in the shadow of the approaching long night—bewildered, forsaken by a pride of intellect which perhaps has been a false guide—and bandoned him in the wilderness to the wolves of doubt. Intellect may convince; science may scoff, and, the new philosophies seek to destroy and give nothing in place of j that they take away—yet despite these the despairing cry is “Abide With me—O Thou Who changest not—Abide with me!” And those who abandon all other hope and utter that prayer as of a lost child in the darkness of the forest calls for jts father in the faith that the cry will be heard—will be heard. That song is' a prayer, as well as a song; it stirs the profoundest depths of any one with a spark of reverence left, and is an appeal from hiortals, helpless at the crossroads of the iternal ways. Much of the same nature is “Nearer My God to Thee” and the same Cardinal Newman’s grand hymn and appeal, “Lead, Kindly Light”, the second and third selections of the people. The tremendously persuasive appeal of music, and of hymns such as the three the people have selected, do not seem to be appreciated in these modern days as much as when the congregations were expected to furnish the music by singing hymns. Let a church be all but darkened, let the three hymns Ee. sung which the American people have said are their favorites, and let there be a short, earnest, fervent and reverent praper—hhd maybe more people would go to church if such services were more common ? More music—more of the love of the Father—more of the helping hand reaching down out of the infinite—and the message of hope wafted on sweet and solemn music to the wanderers—and there will be more of them to struggle in out of the darkness.
Frankfort, Ky., April 26—Kentucky mountaineers are to enjoy the largest benefit ever bestowed upon them as a class through the gift of $1,000,000, much of which was made in a deal with Henry Ford, from E.
conceit, each of whom fondly hope I Robinson, Fort ihomas Ky., landthat history, which invariably re-; °) v ^ er anc ^ capitalist, according to a cords the speedy descent of these statement issued by Edward C. petty tyrants into political oblivion, I 9 Rear, president of the board ol will not repeat itself in his particu- board of trustees of the corpor- ],, r ca;;;c ation founded 1 especially to adminis-
The question of whether or not a ; tG L, th® ^ ur l^*
Muncie newspaper is to be permitted amounting to some to tell the truth about conditions in acres located in Breathitt, Muncie. is a matter of much great- 1 ^ >eii y an( ^ ac 1 col l 1 d or importance to the citizeriship as P an y tlm naillion-dollar fund, and will a whole than it is to the editor | Je turned to reforestation work for Whose liberty is threatened. | ■ ie , • 0 ! jgptmtain families Thoro nvp ri ■fevy dgodIg hGrc who ^ the district, JVli O tvG&r announcGS. cheered mightily wlmn the word was ^he work will be directed from the sent out that the editor of the Post- ! University of Kentucky at LexmgDemocrat wasl in jail and that the i . „ Post-Democrat would soon be a thing 13 Hi strings of the past. Such people are not' •^ r - O H ear adds. The trustees are
fit to live in a free republic Their place is rightfully at the feet of seme hereditary imonarch. These boot lickers to royalty do not believe in free speech and a free press. They are so lacking in common intelligence that they e;b not recognize the fact that real ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AMERICANISM demands freedom of the press, and not jails for newspaper writers who seek the redress of wrongs perpetrated on the neople by the men they elect to of-
jn ft q
Much of the success a grower may have with tomatoes depends , up(D n the proportion of the crop which he brings to early maturity. Frequently the early pickings, though constituting the smaller portion of the crop, are worth more than the re-
mainder. because of the h i gher^mar- t i. y *cfr r ~.. r o m ket which Usually prevails m vhe g 0 f t v>
early season. Thus,, whatever the grower can do to hasten maturity without injury to yield or quality,
will prove profitable.
A series of experiments begun in 1921 at the New Hampshire Experiment Station, in which 20 tons of manure per acre was the basic treatment on all plots, has demonstrated among other things, these factors: An extra 20 tons of manure or 40 tons per acre in all, produced the
was
on me acid phosphate
plots. ; ' i . Gypsum added to manure, increased the yield slightly while potash
decreased it slightly.
Acid phosphate, added to manure, increased the yields materially and appreciably hastened maturity. 1500 pounds of acid phosphate produced increases nearly as great as did an extra 20 tons of manure and gave appreciably larger yields early in the
season.
Tree Planting Record Is Set
Marked Activity Shown Over U. S. In Prov'ding for Shade in Future
first half of April tree planters have broken all records, according to early reports to the American Tree Asion. and the last half of the
mrmth will see even greater activity IP' 110 YE
in “celebrating the centennial of Ar- MiffLfl " r y “or Day in 1372, fifty years boioteK «»» 011 the acld
happens.”
The banner tree planting county of the United States’ is Winnebago county, 111., for during the past week 17.500 tree planters were madle members of the American association by G. J. Boehland, of Rockford, who gave that number of trees to the schools of that county. In that state Arbor day was April 13. Friday, ano the tree planting reached its hejght on that day. Lake county, 111., schools, under the direction of T. Arthur Simpson, the superintendent reports 100 per cent tree planting, a tree having been placed by every
school. .
Cortland. N. Y., has the first city council to vote money for trees to ihe graduating classes of a high school and Park Commissioner G. A. Adsit reported that some 3,000 trees were jn be planted- in that city also. Aj Dallas.) Tex., 270 mcnibers of the Junior Chamber of Commerce have become members of the tree association following the planting of that number of trees along a high-
way.
Nation Garden week is April 22 and Tuesday of that week has been set aside as tree day when there will be additional tree planting. The General Federation of Women’s clubs is
Stale Laboratory Has Ibe Purps Conk For Fxasn
^ he Star Thursday morning concluded the harrowing tale of a dog biting a Muncie policeman by saying, “The dog’s head was cut off and will he sent this morning to the laboratories of the state board of health, where the brain will be examined? ' It seems that the dog had been run. over by an automobile and the policeman was called to put it out of its misery. He put a rope around the dog’s neck to lead him away to slaughter and the animal bit him on the hand. We presume the head of the defunct canine was sent to the scientific gents of the state board of health for the purpose of learning whether or not any lingering doubt remains as to the death of the dog. Having first been run over by an automobile, then shot and afterward decapitated, very little doubt remained, but it is always best to be absolutely sure about such matters.
ARMY LEADER VICTOR
In Saber Duel With Secretary of Fascisti—And Row’s Still On
Rome, April 27—A d'uel with cavalry sabers was fought to-day by Deputy Giunta, Secretary General of the Grand Fascista Council, and Captain Forni, one of the military leaders of the Fascisti, resulting in the latter being slashed so severely that the attending doctors refused to permit the affair of honor to continue beyond the second round. The opponents refused to be reconciled, reserving the right to continue their quarrel, the nature of which was not
made known to the public.
Makes Him Look Like Perfect Lady
(Indianapolis News)
“Hardboiled” Smith seems to have been a mild-mannered gentleman compared with those Florida convict
bosses.
But Why Specify Airmen? (Boston Transcript) The smashing of ten aviation records at Dayton is merely typical of the spirit of American airmen.
“Did you ever get your diamond back from that peach you were stuck
on'j”
“Naw; she’s the cling-stone variety, y’ know.” I
SO OFTEN SOAKED
K '-‘I'd getting
“Probably—been
you know.”
soaked so often, 1
TROUBLE SAVED?
“Let’s turn up this street?” “The city pavers have saved us the trouble---let’s go round.” ,
WOODEN-HEADED, OF COURSE
Boss—That’s the most woodenbeaded gang I’ve struck yet. Timekeeper—Which? Boss—That lot of Poles.
ODD BITS
The Yakima Indians still thrash their wheat with a band of ponies.
The Polish people never swear in their own language, but always in Russian.
King is the most ancient of titles. It, or its equivalent, is found in every knownl language.
When the sparrowhawk is swooping down on its prey it cleaves space at the speed of 150 miles an hour.
True Standard of Manhood. Man comes to himself only when he has found the best, that is In him and has satisfied his heart with the highest achievement of which he is capable. That alone to him is the real measure of himself, the real standard of his manhood.—Grit.
FULL OF AIR
Reggie--Singing I adore! My head is always full of some air. Miss Sharpe—I suspected as much,
That’s Irony For You! tChicago News) American communists now call themselves “the workers’ party.” The idea is quaintly humorous.