Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1920 — NEWS from the COUNTY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NEWS from the COUNTY

JACKSON TP., NEWTON COUNTY And February wasn’t a whole lot better. The Influenza epidemic appears to be su/bsiding somewhat. Mrs. Melinda Saylor, who has been quite sick, was reported better Monday evening. When the lowly wooddhiuck predicted continued cold weather he sure said something. No bluebird as yet, but the boohoo of the prairie rooster is heard in the land, and that’s something. Jacob Saylor, a policeman in New York, is visiting here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Saylor. Miss Nell Makeever, who is recuiperating from influenza, is visiting with the Jay Stockton family in Rensselaer.

Of course, working from 1 the inside, Mayor Thompson’s criticisms of his political party naturally is front page matter. Frank Elijah, who sustained serious injuries to his head one day last week by falling from a load of hay, is making a satisfactory recovery. Europe, it is said, fears a shortage in ivory. So long as our present congress holds together this country need have no such fear, however. Some say wheat is all right, while others claim that the crop is badly winter killed. It is a little early, however, to guess on the condition of wheat. Since our last communication to The Democrat Delco lights 'have been Installed at the homes of Martin Barker, Clarence Blankenbaker and Dan and Ernie Schanlauh. More of our good Amish people are leaving us.” Davy Miller and two of Ben Miller’s sons are among the latest to bid adieu to Jackson township—moving to farms in the eastern part of this state. And thirdly, some of those suffrage women who kept their pictures out of the newspapers until their cause was practically won, showed a degree of sagacity Which one would expect only In an old and experienced politician.

“One thing the Democratic spellbinders are going to have trouble In explaining this year,” says the Morocco Courier, “is 22-cent sugar.” No trouble at all, Brother Leslie; haven’t we a Republican congress? Isn’t that explanation enough ? Albert Robinson, a Democrat and a Christian, reports having seen a robin last Monday. No, sir, It wasn’t a hen-hawk, a bluejay, a thunder-pumper or a helldiver—it was a robin, our old friend redbreast, the x forerunner of spring, of warm sunshine, of grass and flowers dnd slch like. Of there are various ways to start a street-corner fight, but If you want a real pretty example of “rough house,” in which bootheels, hair, coat-tails and carboniferous profanity are about equally mixed, just mention Goodrich and his “best legislature” in a little gathering of hardy taxpayers. We note that the Republicans are just as sure of electing a president next fall as they were three years ago and four years before that. Well, go to it, boys, the American people have become so prosperous 'under Wilson’s administration that they can stand four years of short picking if they have to —but they don’t have to. “It snows’” cries the Belle. “Dear, how lucky!” and turns from her mirror to watch the flakes fall. Like the first rose of summer her dimpled cheek burns while musing on sleigh-ride and ball. “It's cold,’’ cries the farmer —“cold here ip March —and dad burn my hide, she looks like she’d last up to May,” and he throws his last dozen nubbins to the Hampshire sow and forks out his last feed of hay. The flu has more low down, mean tricks up its sleeve than any other disease known to man. It will leave you sihy a lung or a kidney, a list to starboard, strabismus of the eye, a twist In the nose or something equally unpleasant. Trust the flu for that. William, son of Daniel Schanlaub, was a victim of the flu and recovered therefrom, but the disease, true to its nature, left him unable to speak above a whisper, in which condition he has been for the last 10 days or more. The attending physician says that the trouble will be only temporary, however. The other evening, just as the

' sun was sinking to rest tn the ' bosom .of the placid Pacific, Jay i Makeever's famous rooster. Bill iHoileripzollerin, suddenly began to dance the jazz out under the olu walnut tree and then as suddenly toppled over, stretched one leg to the limit, sighed and ceased to breathe. Bill was probably the biggest bird of his kind in Indiana. When Jay received him at the express office it required six men ana a dago to load him in the wagon and at that he had had no feed for a day and a night. We’d hate to say just how big Bill was, because the reader might think we were trying to get smart, but when we say he resembled one of those funny cartoons, representing the beef trust, we think we are well within the limits of truth. When Bill took a notion to crow, which wasn’t often, thank fortune, t'he earth trembled and varmints of all kinds executed an abrupt retirement, while pumip sought the hole under the barn with an Impulsiveness born of a mighty dread. If in Indiana continue to climb, the farmer is going to find himself wp against it good and hand, and that’s no pipe phantom', bo, take it from me. Afany landlords, who now are getting half of the crop, clakmi that they will have to raise rent still higher in order to meet expenses, or sell their land. But here is presented another problem. If the present land owner is unable under existing to make his holdings clear expenses, how is the other man going to do it? And, furthermore, isn’t it reasonable to assume that still higher rents will cause hundreds of farm tenants to throw up the sponge in disgust and Join that ever-Increasing throng that is leaving the farm for the city? The tenant farmer must live and by the same token so must the landlord. The question is, how can both live from the products of the farm withou/t loss or inconvenience to either? And while figuring on this matter, it may be well to keep In mind the fact that present tax law is the offspring of a Republican legislature—a child conceived in ignorance and born in stupidity. One would hardly think that the great God and morality party could be guilty of such dereliction of duty, but truth is mighty, especially in the matter of taxes. When we see an advertisement In

the newspaper, purporting to tear'll journalism, we smile a smole that is simply horrible in its expansiveness. We can’t help it. Can these schools teach the would-be journalist to walk obliquely on the street, so as to sort of camouflage the patch on his panties? Can they teach a man to present a 'placid exterior with two dimes and a Canada quarter in his pocket, while "please remits” bestrew 'his desk like leaves on the strand and the prize cow pumpkin in the window gives forth an oaor of the dead past? Can they teach a man to weep or laugh at will, to sing "Jesus My All” in the presence of the minister and the latest "coon” song when conditions seem propitious? Can they endow him with the gift of praying in public or impart to him the art of feeding a foot or two of stereotype to a pugnacious subscriber? Can they teach him to remember t'he names of all the crowned beads of Europe, Asia and Africa, to write a 17-stanza poem on the death of the last survivor of the battle of Pork and Beans, to lead the church choir and to act as referee in a boxing bout? Can they give him a practical knowledge of cutting cordwood, teach him to make a good adhesive paste, the art of punctuation, capitalization, syntax, plain sewing, vocal music, 15-ball pool, coupling freight cars, how to ride a rail with the least inconvenience, the best and most expeditious way to remove tar and feathers, together with a 'hundred and one other requirements that go with the newspaper business? We ask, can a school of journalism teach these things? If it can’t what excuse has it for existing? Ever stop to think of the vagaries and inconsistencies of—well, for a better word, we’ll just say human nature? Now there was the recent world struggle. Here we had the most enlightened nation.* of the earth engaged in the most cruel war ever known, outrivaling ’hell itself in the matter of suffering and misery, and still we send money and teachers to 'heathen lands in order that the natives may be regenerated and made good like us. Of course, we say Germany caused the war, and this, we believe, is true, but that doesn’t really explain anything. Germany ie supposed to be a Christian nation. Why do Christian nations engage in war, why do they teach the heathen the superiority of the white man's religion and then turn around and invent" machinery with which to kill him whenever the exigencies of the occasion seem to demand it? "Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,” said the lowly Nazarene, "for .ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make !him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” And, again, how many readers of The Democrat have observed the freakishness o. human nature in the lives of people they know? How often do we see young men who have been tenderly reared, who have praying fathers and mothers, who have had every advantage in life, become frequenters of the saloon, the gambling den and the dive, while other young men, who, like Topsy, just growd,” become clean, useful and 'highly respected citizens. We have in mind right now two men of our acquaintance, whom, for convenience sake, we shall call A and B. As a youth, A was the prettiest thing that ever happened. He was given a good education, much better indeed than his hard-working parents could well afford, he enjoyed the benefits of church and Sunday school, good health and clean moral surroundings, and yet today A is a rtmk failure in about every way that the word "failure implies. On the other hand B was born among the “ragtag and bobtail” section of humanity, of parents Who hadn’t the dignity even of the "bobtail.” His youthful environment was such that if he had wanted to offer it as an excuse for murder, arson, thievery or a yellow streak, he could have gotten away with it In any soclalogical court in America. And yet he made good, is today a clean, prosperous citizen, with a fine home, a good wife and two sweet children. Yes sir take it from' yours truly, old ’ Human Nature sure works In a mysterious way.

GIFFORD Jesse Gri mtn was a Medaryville goer Tuesday. ' - Newland now has a doctor —Dr. Downer of Chicago. Nate Keen’s family are all imiproving from mumps. Edward Peregrine tmioved Monday onto Che 8. C. Irwin farm. ’Ernest Nuss is hauling lumber for John Bicknell of Rensselaer. David Ross of Hammond is visiting his sister, Mrs. James Cavlnder. , William Hershiman and family are on the sick list at this writing. Mr. and Mrs. William Obenehaln spent Wednesday with Sam Obenchain.

Elsie Haniford came home Tues, day from high school with the mumps. Jake Myers of Laura moved onto to the John McClannaham' farm Tuesday. Bessie Spriggs is home for a few days. She has been working for Charles Webb. 11. E. Gifford and family of Rensselaer spent Sunday with their son Gerald and wife. Ed Timmons and son Ralph were 'home over Sunday, returning to their work Monday. Mr. and Mrs. W. T. IHtonkins called on T. M. Callahan and family in Rensselaer Sunday. Mrs. Frank Antrim and children of Monon are visiting a few days with her father, Robert Steel. Moses Hancock and George Lambert returned home Monday from Jerry's island, on the Kankakee. Mrs. R. H. Grimm was called to her son Clifford's at Newland, the latter being quite sick with mumps. Earl Parker and family of Zadoo and Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Reed spent Sunday with T. M. Haniford and daughter Elsie.