Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 230, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1920 — Americanism [ARTICLE]

Americanism

By LEONARD WOOD

His (ths anarchist’s) protest of concern for workin* men *• outrageous in its impudent falsity; for if ths political institutions of thia country do not afford opportunity to every honest and intelligent/sen es toil, then the door of hopo'igjfbrovsr closed against him.—ThrtMore Roosevelt’s message at the opening session of the 67th congress. NOT long before Roosevelt wrote these words William McKinley had died at the hand of an- anarchist assassin. At that time as today the plea generally of the assassin and the Incendiary was that hl* cause was that of the working men of America and that only through the channel* of violence could come the art of happiness and safety for the toilers. All Americans who are North a pinch ot salt are toller*. We are working men and working women and our cause 1* a common one against the red com-' pany of destruction. The anarchist Is simply an assassin of character, of men and of governments. Conservatism is not necessarily reaction. The extreme radical, however, at times- finds the way easy into the field of anarchy. Progress goes hand in hand with enlightenment which comes from study. But progress sometimes is conservative. The man who turns back from the field of anarchy is a progressive although his comrades who stay in the field will call him something rise. •, The political institutions of this country were founded by the Fathers with the intention of affording equality of opportunities to all American citixen*. These political institutions have endured. The way to reform is through the ballot box. American cit Isens are voters. They can wort their will. Our political institution* “afford 'opportunity to every honest and intelligent son of ton.” It they did not, then, as Theodore Roosevelt says, “the door of hope M forever closed against him.” It is Just as true today as It was when Roosevelt wrote his message to the members of the- fifty-seventh congress that the anarchist’* proteri of concern for the working man la *Btrageous in it* impudent falsity. The American working man know* it. working people, which means M»*t of us, are the sustainer* of Ameffoin institutions. ine bor class in America. Our labor 4*ss Is aUT embracing. We have few paraaites on the body of the state la Americanism the man who worts With Ms hands stands with the man who worts with his head. America Is not afraid. To be fearful is to be Wk in action. Americiu»i*atloa wto take String 1 ™- It will anarchist and all hl* worka. /