The Elk Mountain pilot. [volume], August 09, 1923, Image 2

About The Elk Mountain pilot. [volume] (Irwin, (Ruby Camp), Gunnison County, Colo.) 1880-19??

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The Elk Mountain Pilot
a T. RAW ALT, Publisher
MATTIE L. MILLER, Local Editor
Entered as Second Class Matter at the Postoffice at
Crested Butte, Colorado.
Advertising rate cards furnished on application
Subscription $2.00 per Year
OIL refineries close down to reduce surplus of gaso
line, but there is no thought among the profiteers of low
ering the price to consumers.—Labor.
HEAD line in Grand Junction News: “$350,000 of
New Construction now under way in Grand Junction.” A
comparison of these figures with the assessment rolls
next year will show how true the figures are or on the
reverse side will shorw how reckless the assessor is. Den
ver is using this method of determining how successful
they are in getting results, and other places might do
likewise profitably.
OF fourteen county superintendents of schools attend
ing a conference in Gunnison last weefle only one was a
man. Thirteen women to one man (fourteen with the
state superintendent) must have made the man feel like
he had inadvertently stepped into a harem.—Olathe Cri
terion.
We shall always think Bro. Sarjent got off a mighty
poor comparison in the above and one that will not en
dear him to the ladies who have been honored with elec
tion to superintendencies.
ONE cannot help admiring those Turks. Having
hornswoggled the whole of Europe into a treaty that Buits
them perfectly and suits no single one of the other coun
tries signing, they firmly turn down the treaty with the
United States till the blamed thing is fixed up to please
them. They call the country the “Sick man of Europe”,
but to our mind he is the cutest sick man we ever saw.
And a treaty to a Turk means about as much as a cam
paign promise to a politician.
SOME REAL TRUTH
THE Baptist World Alliance congress at Stockholm
is told that only Christianity, spread everywhere, will
prevent wars.
Christianity would prevent wars if those in power
paid any attention to Christianity’s teachings. But the
Seven Years’ war, the Thirty Years’ war, the Hundred
Years’ war, among ten thousand other wars, were all per
fectly good Christian wars. And there are plenty more to
come.
And when Christians got tired of fighting each other
in the old days, they started out all together on their
crusades to fight gentlemen in the east —who gave them
a series of good beatings, by the way.
For Christianity to stop war, the nations must be
come Christians, ACTUALLY, not merely in name.
In the last great w*ar there were hundreds of millions
praying to a Christian God, convinced that He undoubt
edly would help each group beat the other group.—
Arthur Brisbane.
BLACK AND WHITE
THE U. S. Treasury has allotted $2,250,000 to the new
Federal Hospital at Tuskegee. That’s all right; black ex
service men need attention as well as white. The physi
cian in charge is to receive SIO,OOO a year and supervise
a budget of 51,250,000. That’s all right, so long as the
physician is white. President Harding has ordered that
all doctors attending the black ex-service men shall be
black. That’s all wrong, so on July 3, hooded klansmen
paraded the streets of Tuskegee as a silent threat. The
life of Major R. R. Moton, succssor to Booker T. Washing
ton, has been threatened. Several black doctors have fled
North.
There were more blacks than whites from Mississippi
in the army during the war but blacks are excluded from
jury service, the ballot and any participation in govern
ment. In Florida the Ku Klux Klan has issued a circular
warning blaoks away from the polls on pain of death. In
Mississippi there are 1,000 high schools for white children
but only one for black children.
The Southern solution of the race problem is to keep
the blacks as low in intelligence as possible. Strange as
it may seem the blacks want to move North. In order to
prevent that, many of the Southern state and municipal
ities have prohibited the solicitation of labor by unli
censed agents. Fines of SSOO and SI,OOO have been im
posed upon agents in North Carolina and Virginia for
telling the blacks where they could get better jobs.
Peonage—keeping the blacks always in debt—works well
also.—The Arbitrator.
PERSHING'S GOOD SENSE
GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING’S life has been a mil
itary one. He is a West Point graduate. He is a veteran
of Indian wars, and of campaigns in the Philippine Is
lands. He led our expedition into Mexico, and was com
mander-in-chief of our forces in the World War. He is
now the guiding genius of the army If the tragedy of
war should overtake the United States within the near
future, General Pershing would unquestionably influence
vastly our policy.
It would be reasonable to presume that his voice
would be raised for the aloption of the strongest meas
ures on behalf of military preparedness.
General Pershing spoke recently at Bear Mountain,
New York, to the National Council of the Boy Scouts of
America His address was in opposition to the introduc
tion of military training into the Boy Scout movement.
He discouraged the attempt of those who would fill the
young minds with the false glamour of war.
Such a speech coming from the head of our military
establishment might be surprising. But General Pershing
said:
“You are teaching our boys to be good citizens, and
any man who is a good citizen will make a good soldier
in time of peril.”
Our chief soldier’s life has been devoted to the de
fense of our country. His mind is ever working upon the
best methods of protecting the Flag. He could be ex
cused if the intenseness of his concentration on the sub
ject of national defense had made him over-zealous for
preparedness.
But General Pershing seems to have retained through
nil his military career the snne, calm belief that ours is
a democracy, not a militarism. His expert view that
good citizens will make good soldiers, if peril threatens,
is one which will be hard to combat.—Dearborn Indepen
dent.
“MORE humnne methods will feature the next
war,” reports a committee of chemical experts. It is
predicted that poison gas will supplant the machine gun,
“which kills but but does not mangle.”—Labor.
SUNDAY NIGHT MUSINGS
By C. T. RAWALT
IN an extended editorial Editor Ferril in his Rocky
Mountain Herald expresses his regret that things seem to
be very harmonious between Gov. Sweet and Senator Alva
Adams. To be sure he does not express it just that way,
but the idea is prominent enough. Once more we are
impelled to advise our brother to look after his own party
affairs. Likely there will be quite as little friction in
the Democratic camp as there is in the g. o. p.
•w*
BURLINGTON FAVORITE RECEIVER
OF RIO GRAND, SUCCEEDING YOUNG
THOMAS H. BEACOM, former vice-president of the
Rock Island railroad, was appointed receiver of the D. &
R. G. W. railroad Wednesday, by Federal Judge J. Foster
Symes, to succeed Joseph H. Young. Mr. Young resigned
several weeks ago but the court refused to accept his res
ignation at that time. It is rumored in Denver that
Young was given a full year’s salary of $50,000 in advance
to step out of the place.
Beacom is favorable to the Burlington railroad and
not the man favored by the Kuhn Loeb interests which
control the Missouri Pacific railroad which recently se
cured a merger with the D. & R. G. W.—Salida Mail.
Now gentle reader, when you pay your next freight
bill please think, if you can think, that if this clip
printed above is true, and we imagine it is, that you and
others who pay freight must directly pay that $50,000.
A federal judge has said so and yet there seems to be no
good reason why an incompetent receiver should not be
summarily discharged same as a brakeman or engineer.
The public stuck for $50,000 to relieve itself of a Receiver
appointed by a Federal Court, who turned out to be a
frost. Gunnison county cattlemen will pay a nice piece
of this d d extortion. Western Slope fruit men will
pay a lot more. Miners will contribute their quota. But
it must be paid and besides the road must earn operat
ing expenses and dividends, the court says so. But the
court does not say that you farmers, fruit growers, min
ers and cowmen must make expenses* and a profit on your
industry. We wish we had a flow of language that would
enable us to express our opinion of this sort of thing.
<-> •»
WESTERN SLOPE papers bring the rather surprising
news that at the County Commissioners’ conclave at Ou
ray last week resolutions of confidence in the honesty and
integrity of the convicted commissioners from this coun
ty were passed. One of the best grand juries that ever
sat in the Seventh District found indictments against
these officials and many others for various infractions of
the law. When the accused were to be tried Pat Hanlon
was disqualified to draw the petit jury by affidavit of the
indicted men, and Dr. Hyatt, coroner, was appointed by
the Court to perform that duty. He drew an exception
ally square and high-minded petit jury and they unhesi
tatingly convicted every indicted person brought before
them except C. C. McWilliams, in whose case a hung jury
occurred. Judge Logan in one of the most able opinions
ever handed down from the District bench here, summed
up the evidence on motion for new trial and refused the
the motion. Also he sentenced these men. Now we sub
mit that if the County Commissioners of the western
slope really feel confidence in these convicted men after
the record made in the courts, it is quite possible that
they come under the old law “Like, Likes Like,” and that
an investigation of their own activities is much in order.
Men who go on record with condoning the treasury loot
ing that we have enjoyed are not right. Remember that
the grand jury expressly advised that civil actions be
brought to recover from these same commissioners many
thousands of dollars alleged to have been wrongfully
drawn from the treasury. That action has not yet been
taken, but doubtless will when the present litigation is
settled. In this connection we might mention that their
appeal to the Supreme Court for a writ of supersedeas
was filed last Saturday, August 4th, and will come up for
hearing early in September.
Following is the resolution reported to have been
pnssed, also the names of the members of the resolutions
committee:
The resolutions were signed by a committee consist
ing of Milton P. Welch, chairman; T. W. Monel 1, secre
tary; George B. Croft, W. U. Mergelman, R. P. Coulter,
and J. W. Shy.
Whereas, Our members. Will Whalen, Ted Knowles,
and Dr. Sullivan. Commissioners of Gunnison County, have
been charged with irregularities in office, and placed in
an improper light before the people, and prosecuted un
der the charge of misappropriating public funds.
Therefore, Be it Resolved, That it is the sense of this
Association that said members have acted in good faith,
and in their opinion, for the best interests of their county,
and this association holds the utmost faith in their honor,
honesty and integrity.
<-:•
AMONG all the comments touching President Hard
ing’s death we note not one that seems to us to reach the
real cause. His demise brings to our mind very forcibly,
the fact that mental distress had practically all to do
with his passing, as did the same element in renderinp
President Wilson a hopeless paralytic. Mr. Wilson con
ceived that he could win the American people to his
League of Nations by personally carrying his message to
•hem. His effort was a flat failure. The people met nnd
listened to him respectfully because he was their Presi
d»nt, but they had been baptized in suffering through
their participation in the war and they wanted no more
of it They turned a deaf ear to his pleas and Mr. Wil
son knew that his mission had ended in failure. It preyed
on his mind and made easy the breaking down of an al
ready weakened physique. Mr. Harding sought to make
the same plea, for his International Court is nothing but
the League of Nations under another name, nnd he, too,
met with firm and even more positive refusal to accept.
When he left these shores for Alaskn he knew his trip was
i failure. All during his absence the thought of defeat
bore down on him. It sapped vitality, it diminished his
reserve forcdS, and he was a ready victim of the first
trifling indisposition. Both these men were sincere in
desiring to put over the participation of this country in
European affairs. Both got their incentive from the same
sources—those who profit thereby—but the people are not
going to become involved if they can help it. And now
arises the thought, is it within reason to expect any Pres
ident to carry successfully the load of administering the
affairs of a nation of this size? The Presidency almost
invariably incapacitates the holder of the position to an
extent that takes them off long before their time. Roose
velt, youngest and most vigorous, died from excessive
work. Wilson’s health was greatly impnired by his first
term and his second produced what is equivalent to death.
The country has too many complexities for the executive
to meet without overdoing his strength. Some Presidents
manage to shift many of their burdens to their cabinet
officials, others are less fortunate and find in those same
officials added burdens. In our opinion both Mr. Wilson
and Mr. Harding experienced this difficulty. The past six
years have been exceptional ones in that a multitude of
new perplexities have crowded themselves forward for
Presidential attention. With active participation in
European affairs these elements of embarrassment would
be multiplied many times. Executive duties may not be
subdivided. Some relief for the President may be obtained
by exceptionably able and sincere lieutenants, but even
they cannot entirely relieve the President from the nerve
and brain-racking responsibility.
<*•> <->
HENRY FORD TALKS AT LAST
FROM the Dearborn Independent we clip several ex
tracts from an interview given by the Motor Magnate to
a reporter for the Curtis Publishing Co., in which Mr.
Ford gives the public considerable light as to his candi
dacy for President.
Mr. Ford first asked the reporter three questions and
gave him a day to prepare his answers. They give the
view point of Mr Ford very clearly:
Here are the three questions that Henry Ford gave me:
What do the people of the United States think
they want?
2. What do they really want?
3. Exactly what is wrong with the country, anyway:
Touching the merit of being President, Mr. Ford said:
“There isn’t any honor in a smash-up. There isn’t any
honor in being stalled. There isn’t any honor in anything
except usefulness, and usefulness is based upon accurate
knowledge of what to do and how to get it done. Sup
pose I were elected President and didn’t know what to do
—what kind of honor would I get out of that?”
Evidently Mr. Ford believes in some changes of the
governmental plan. At least he does not believe that
criticism is out of place. His views in the following
paragraph prove that:
“Politically we not only keep all the old truck
nround. but we make it sacred. We speak in awe
‘form of government’ and even pass laws making it a
crime to criticize it. You can’t imagine an industry
thriving if it considered its form of organization beyond
criticism.”
Mr. Ford seems to have a very clear vision of Euro
pean affairs:
The United States cannot be of much assistance to
Europe in the present crisis, first, because of the narrow
nationalism of Europe, and. second, because of the nar
row nationalism of the United States. However, this
wrong will be righted just as soon as the truth becomes
genern'ly known that the real interests of people in va
rious parts of the earth do not conflict.
I'e t’oes not worship the tariff fetich:
The Tariff is a joke, but it is apt to hang on, to the
' l etrinv’rt of both American nnd foreign countries, until
the i nple learn that special privileges do not pay. Our
♦ "r no special privileges and won’t be perfectly
banp- unti 1 it settles down to doing that share of the
wor!' , ’s work for which it has the greatest natural ca
oaclty.
The four following paragraphs speak for themselves
and clearly indicate the broad scope of Mr. Ford’s ob
servations:
Ship Subsidy—Giving a bonus for incapacity is a
brilliant procedure, provided our object is to waste money
BESSIE
By MOLLY MATHER
(©, 1923, Western Newapaper Union.)
■AiTISS MORTIMER turned from the
advertising column she had been
reading to consult with her house
keeper. Mrs. Bundy had been u long
time in Miss Mortimer's employ.
“This is the most unusual thing 1
ever read, Eliza,” she said, “it would
almost seem to he written for myself.
But 1 have so lost faith in human be
ings that I would fear to harbor a
stranger.” Susan Mortimer sighed
deeply.
Sympathetically, Mrs. Bundy looked
up from her dusting. “Now, Miss
Susan,” she remarked, “I would not he
discouraged, though I’m not saying you
haven’t cause. Bessie, however, was
not ungrateful of your kindness in tak
ing her in and making first a maid,
then a real companion of her. Bessie
fell in love, and I’m sure she felt badly
at leaving you—if it was to get mar
ried. What’s this queer advertisement
you’re speaking about?”
Miss Mortimer bent over the news
paper.
“Young woman wishes to take the
place of a true daughter In home of
widowed or lonely woman. References
exchanged.”
“Now the place of a true daughter,”
said Miss Mortimer thoughtfully,
“would mean more than a companion,
Eliza, and if anyone is in need of the
ministration of a kindly relative at
present, it is myself.
"I believe," she said slowly, ‘‘that
I’m lonely enough to try out this un
usual young lady.”
Adella Winthrop was engaged for
her peculiar position. Shyly, as she
and Miss Mortimer sat one day to
gether. the new daughter told the story
of the advertisement:
“I had taken care of mother during
the years of invalidism before her
death, and we had been suen comfort
ing companions that when I was left
quite alone, without money, why, the
daughter business seemed to he the
only attribute 1 hud. So it must have
been inspiration which worded that
message for me, nnd sent it on to your
paper.”
“It must have been,” Miss Mortimer
sincerely replied. “The short time that
you have been with me, Bessie—l hope
you do not mind my referring to you us
Bessie —you see I had Bessie with
me a good while, and had Imped to
keep her alwuys; she seems to come
hack to me—though I must admit in
a finer way—when I give you her
name."
“W by,” asked the girl, “do you not
call me Bessie, if it is easier for you?
Mrs. Bundy Is always making the same
mistake.”
Miss Mortimer patted her friend’s
hand. "It is like you to suggest that,”
she said, “und I will call you Bessie,
as you do not mind. So. Bessie, my
dear, will you look over my mull this
morning and see wlint work we have
before us?”
The daughter-companion selected a
typewritten letter at the top, and
glanced through the contents; when
she saw the signature she sat silent.
“Please," Miss Mortimer directed,
“read the letter aloud.”
It was a good-natured plea for a
vljdt from one who signed himself
and keep the worlds work from being done Ws.hl
can be procured so easily that there need be no great
concerning expenditures, hut our objection to the Rh?
subsidy is that it would seriously hamper shipping n,p
Soldiers’ Bonus—The proposal to give a bonus to
erans of the late war implies that the soldier cannot hii
his own in competition with others, and is an insult*
the ex-service man. If the ex-service men are unfittlS
because of wounds, or other disability, for the nor i
competition of life, they should be made fit immediate!
and all the resources of modern science should be devntZi
to the task. '
Railroads —There should be a railroad system in th
United States instead of the antiquated network of fi n „
cial corporations which take toll along the nation’s hirfl*
ways today. .
Peace —The only way to assure world peace is to P *
world service. Incidentally, this pays enormously- k! V 5
until the people find it out, we may enjoy the luxury
continued fighting. * *
Mr. Ford evidently considers that other things are
quite as necessary as being President, perhaps better
“ But you have knocked American politics sky hieh”
I protested “Millions of people are looking to you as*
Messiah. It can’t be any fun for you to string the‘m alonJ
for months, and then spring such an announcement m
this. You could have the Democratic nomination for the
asking.”
“And what could I do with it?”
“You could probably be elected President.”
“And what could I do as President? Could I rnrr.
out that platform?” 17
“Perhaps not,” I admitted.
“Well, we ARE carrying it out,” he said. “We have
been releasing some little energy in the United States
We have been sending motor cars and tractors all over
the world, and everywhere they go—Mexico, Russia, China,
or whatever country you can name—roads are built and
the people get acquainted with each other, and State and
J national houndries begin to fade.
“We haven’t been able to repeal the tariff, but we
have demonstrated that special privileges aren’t worth
having. We are co-operating joyously with the ex-service
men. We are finding ways to develop agriculture. We
are even enforcing prohibition, when we manufacture
> motor cars. Incidentally, we intend to make a demon
, stration of what a real railroad may be lilke.”
If he does not understand his own mind he is un
> fortunate in the following expression, but we believe he
* has a very clear conception of what he can do and is doing.
“1 know*, if the people don’t, that that isn’t my kind
of a job. It is as silly to talk of drafting me as it is to
try to make me volunteer. I’ve got a job now—my kind
‘ of a job. Watch the D. T. & I. for the next few years.
I We are going to make a real railroad out of that, and
show the country what kind of a transportation system it
r might have if it would quit thinking in terms of politics
! and finance and get down to work.”
We believe Mr Ford would make an admirable
President, but we still believe he is vastly more valuable
to the country steering the industrial ship along intel
ligent lines. His example must be followed soon or he
will own all the industry in the country. Perhaps it
r would be well if he did; his laborers are always satisfied.
“Your graceless, "but 'unrepentant
nephew, Jim."
Miss Mortimer’s lips tightened, even
as her eyes grew wet.
“Unrepentant,” she muttered; “he
might have written, ‘ungrateful.’ I
took that hoy when he was an orphaned
i baby and gave up to his care most of
my own youth. He was a delicate
, child. Then I sent him to college and
’ later started him in his profession. I
gave him all the love of a solely de
voted heart nnd in return had hoped
to be cared for In my old age. As soon
as clients began to come to James
Warren’s law office he decided to
marry some nobody of a girl and go to
housekeeping In a city flat. Leaving
me here uncaring in my solitude.
“If you had not assured me in the
beginning that no thought of promise
I of marriage was before you I should
. never have given you the way of my
affection, Bessie. Desertion hurts too
j much."
i "I told you the truth.” Bessie an
swered tunelessly. “Sometimes I
think I have renounced marriage for
i ever. Shall I tell you why?”
"Tell me,” the older woman said,
diverted from her letter.
“When my father died a young law
yer came to straighten our affairs. He
"as kind und true, and mother liked
him very much. So he became our
friend; when mother died he asked me
to l>e his wife. I loved him dearly—
he was all that 1 had then—all I
seemed to need. One day. in grief, he
showed me a letter. It was written
i>y the aunt who had reared him. She
said that if he insisted in Ids Intention
to marry she would disown and disin
herit him. for his ingratitude. So—l
gave him up. Could I let him sacri
fice all that would mean? And I went
away where he might not find me—
nnd wrote the advertisement which
brought me to you. I did not know
that you were James Warren’s aunt;
I had not heard your name. And he—-
does Jim know that I am here?”
"No,” she answered gently, “he does
not know. In the one letter I have
written him, I referred to my com
panion as ‘Bessie.’ So that is why
you have forsworn marriage—that a
selfish old woman’s plan might he
realized. Will you take this dicta
tion now, to ‘our’ Jim?—
“Dear Boy—Come as soon as you
can. to your repentant aunt. I have a
happy surprise for you.—Susan,”
lUuichnien— one of ou»
books of blank bills of sale. Vers
bandy. Just like a check book. En
ables you to take bill of sale of an,
animal right where you buy it. For •
sale at either of our offices or an,
bank in the county.
Scratch pads suitable for any pur- i
pose at this office.
RAINBOW HOTEL
§ SALIDA. COLORADO X
Mrs. W. H. H. DYE. Proprietor l
housed ando ted .l. A , ~ h oroufrhly m " ,lern £
service and courtesy t^ K uests b,,as,s itS efficient
< 111. IS A ( ALL MIIKN IN TOWN AND SKK FOR YOURSELF C'
Reasonable Rates
Americas Marvels
NATURAL AND OTHERWISE
By T. T. Maxey
OLD GRANARY BURYING
GROUND
Within the confines of the older
(eastern) states of this Union there ■
are many ancient, quaint, and hallowed
burying grounds, most of which close
ly surround or adjoin a much-loved
chapel or meeting house. Among the
most Interesting of these Is that
precious plot of ground known as Old
Granary Burying Ground, near the
present business center in the city of
Boston.
The town granary once stood on this
site—hence this peculiar name. The
burying ground was established about
the year 1640.
Within this well-kept enclosure which
Is surrounded by an imposing protec
tive fence, lie the remains of three
signers of the Declaration of Indepen
dence, nine governors, Peter Faneull,
that public-spirited Individual who
presented the city the famous hall
which bears his name; Paul Revere,
that patriot who, on April 18, 1776,
warned his country of the marching
of the British troops towards Lexing
ton and Concord, and other notables of
their time.
Probably the most conspicuous head
stone that graces the shaded covering
of the departed Is that erected by Ben
jamin Franklin, the most Important
literary man of bis day, In loving trib
ute to the memory of his father, Jo*
slah, and his mother, Ablah.
An outstanding feature of the plot
are a number of alraost-a-century-old
elm trees which cast their shadows
over this resting place.
The epitaphs on many of the stones
which mark these ancient graves are
quaint, Indeed, and peculiar In the
light of present-day custom. An un
usuul one reads:
Here lyeth ye body of John Downlni.
aged about 63 yr»., dec’d April ye 19, 16M
I bargain with Christ for room below,
He grants a mansion In his upper storU;
Thus Qod gives more than we do asl* <> r
know.
Instead of grace uninterrupted glorle
Another:
Here lies interred the body of Mr. Thomas
Crawford, who departed this life,
Aug. 23d, 1773, Aged 66.
' Stop here my friend and cast an eye,
As you are now, so once was 1;
. As lam now, so you must be,
. Prepare for death and follow roe.
j A good name Is better than precious
I ointment.
tffl. ISSI. Western Newspaper Union.)