Opinion A6 • Sauk Valley Media
www.saukvalley.com
THE CARTOONIST’S VOICE
Monday, December 29, 2014
WASHINGTON SPOTLIGHT
Happy thoughts about what we’d like to happen Maybe 2015 will be OK; we can only hope
Dave Granlund, GateHouse News Service
EDITORIALS FROM YESTERYEAR | 1914
From our archives: Horse rescue remains ‘big problem’ Note to readers – Sauk Valley Media reprints editorials and articles from the past as a regular Monday feature. The following items appeared in the Telegraph on Dec. 29, 1914.
What we thought: 100 years ago
over the warm stream in the river. While the ice is thick and safe at other parts of the stream, it is reported horse. A search for the distance telephone and to be thin and unsound animal was started, and telegraph wires have over the “hot stream,” he was found standing been in poor condition and Mr. Mason’s involcontentedly in the base- throughout the day. untary cold bath was ment. This afternoon, wind Horse shot the the result of the crystal The problem that now sprang up from the chutes – Rescue giving way under him at confronts Mr. Baker is north, and it is feared is big problem this point. how to get the horse out. that colder weather will He managed to get out Probably part of the cel- result, adding its effect “Stude” Baker’s horse to the heavy snow, which with no more severe made sudden entrance lar will have to be taken down or the floor in the will cause many wires to damage than the scare to a saloon basement and wetting he experibuffet taken up before break during the night. • • • enced. “His Honor,” the horse, The Dixon Home TeleThrough hole will again be seen draw- phone Co. reported this in the wall You were ing a delivery wagon. afternoon that some • • • there once trouble was being experiPart of floor or wall will He who refuses to enced, especially among Many parents are prayhave to be removed to shovel the walk the substations. ing now for the day when extricate the animal dear little Willie will The fellow who does anted: InforThey listen when bust his horn and lose not vote, who kicks on mation as his whistles, and they Sherman talks all public improvements, to the best are plotting some sort of who hates to hear the If you are watching the means of getting a horse villainy that will put the birds sing, and refuses to Senate, you may have out of a cellar. drum out of business. indulge his babies in the noticed Answers to the above But stick it out, folks; sacred joy of childhood’s that when inquiry were numeryou and Santa Claus belief in Santa Claus, United ous this morning after hatched up all the trouble must be the same fellow States Sen. the horse that Stude yourselves, and besides, who is able but refuses Lawrence Baker drives on his paruse your memory. to clean the snow off his Y. Sherman cel delivery wagon had of Illinois taken up his abode in the sidewalk. Christmas And we really believe basement under Frank Lawrence Y. stands in war times that the fellow who up to say Lawton’s buffet on First Sherman does not clean the show something, We quote an exchange: street. 1858-1939 off his sidewalk is no he hits Christmas 1914 finds This morning shortly Sherman, a smaller than the person straight hatred and misery more before 10 o’clock, Baker Republican, who shovels from his from the in evidence than at any represented had occasion to drive house to the front walk Illinois in the shoulder, other Christmas season into the alley at the rear U.S. Senate and then along his front and the the world has ever known. of Smith Bros.’ restaufrom 1913 gentlemen Ten nations are rant and Frank Lawton’s walk to the lot line, in the to 1921. The of the Sen- engaged in war. Without Telegraph buffet. The alley is rather direction of town, but noted in a who does not clean the ate sit up considering the popusmall, and while Mr. Dec. 29, walk in the direction in and listen. lous colonies of certain Baker had left the animal 1914, editorial Likewise of these nations, the for a few moments, dur- which he does not use it. that when He takes no interest in Sherman are the hostilities affect directly ing which he had gone spoke, other whether the feet of his cloakrooms more than 435 million to get some boxes, the senators persons. horse moved over nearer neighbors, the school made sure to deserted children, the shop girls, instantly According to one carethe buildings to get out listen. mail man, the carrier by the ful estimate, the soldiers of the storm. It got too boy, etc., are kept dry. loungers who do not in the field at the present close to the area-way want to miss hearing time number approxiat the rear of Lawton’s Heavy snow anything that Senator mately 18 million. This place and stepped onto hard on wires “Larry” Sherman has to is probably eight or nine the slippery chute down say. times as many as has ever The snow today has which barrels are let into before been engaged in been almost continuthe basement. Broke through ice warfare at one time. The ous, and the heavy damp As quick as a flash, the horse’s feet slipped from flakes, clinging to teleMonday afternoon combined fighting forces in the American Civil phone, telegraph and under him on the snow Theodore Mason was War, as in the Russoelectric light wires, have and slippery chute, the caused much apprehen- victim of an involuntary Japanese war, did not sudden jerk freed him bath in river actually number 2 million sion among the workfrom the wagon, and he men at any period. While working on the shot down into the base- men whose duty it is to The misery and sufferice Monday afternoon keep the lines up. ment. ing among the soldiers Many of the wires gave for the Dixon Pure Ice When Mr. Baker in the trenches ... [is] Co., Theodore Mason way today under the returned, he found the appalling. ... broke through the ice great weight, while long wagon but minus a
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EDITORIAL BOARD
THE FIRST AMENDMENT
Jennifer Baratta Jim Dunn Sam R Fisher Sheryl Gulbranson Larry Lough
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Jeff Rogers
WASHINGTON – It’s hard at this pleasant, anticipatory time of year to dwell on grim news about our politicians (who have all fled this city for the holidays). So let’s not. We will think happy thoughts about what we hope will happen in 2015. We would like President Obama to stop sending us emails that seem friendly enough, “Ann! I have important news for you!” but which turn out to be appeals for money. Even the firefighters are more subtle. (“Things you should know to keep your house from burning down.”) It is to be hoped that Sony produces a cheerful children’s movie that is without any controversy whatsoever, and we never have to think again about anything videographic called “The Interview.” Similarly, perhaps North Korea could become the new Brigadoon, disappearing into the mists for many decades. (Hey, we all need fantasies. I once stood in Panmunjom, watching the Potemkin houses and listening to the weird music being played by the North Koreans on loudspeakers – psychological torture – and decided this is a country with no redeeming social value.) We did get an early Christmas present – the country lost its Internet access. (“Hey, accidents happen!” the U.S. said with a shrug.) Perhaps, when Pope Francis and Obama get together, the pope could give the president some ideas on how to deal with the “chatter, grumbling and gossip” that seem to be the hallmark not only of the Vatican but the federal bureaucracy. What the pope calls “the sickness of the cowardly who, not having the courage to speak directly to the people involved, instead speak behind their backs.” SPEAKING OF resolutions, it would be nice if incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, sticks to his vow to stop Republicans from saying “no, no, h--no” all the time and start saying “yes, yes, we mean yes.” It’s not exactly clear how that will work out, but any change has to be good. There are two kinds of people in politics, McConnell says he has decided. “Those who want to make a point, and those who want to make a difference.” We are so desperate, that this sounds refreshing. At the wisp of thought of Washington working,
“To prohibit reading of certain books is to declare the inhabitants to be either fools or slaves.” Claude Adrien Helvetius, French philosopher, c. 1771
Quotes brought to you courtesy of
annMcFEATTERS Ann McFeatters has covered the White House and national politics since 1986. Contact her at amcfeatters@nationalpress.com.
we find a kind of irrational exuberance bubbling up inside us that has nothing to do with the eggnog. (Well, maybe a little.) We understand that the plummeting price of oil is very bad for many people, including oil producers in our own country. But we can’t help hoping that it might make the arrogant Vladimir Putin a tad less obnoxious as he gets fewer billions from Russian the Russian President Vladimir Bear’s oil Putin wealth. Columnist Ann As we brace McFeatters for the tedihopes that um of anothPutin’s er presidenarrogance lessens in tial race, proportion let us hope to the that Hillprecipitous decline in ary Clinton Russia’s oil focuses less revenue. on her hair and being rich and more on what she would actually hope to do for the country. Let us plead for understanding from Jeb Bush that we don’t want 4 more years of the 12 Bush years we already had. And just let all the others be civil. WE KNOW WE’VE grown up when the thought of Christmas without snow is not unbearable. But we truly hope that 2015 does not bring the extreme weather we’ve been seeing for quite some time all across the nation. And we would like to think that deniers of climate change will grow up, face the music, get religion, face facts, and learn a little about science. We hope that Stephen Colbert still makes us laugh, that police officers and the citizens they help will get to know each other, and that we learn to eat better, stop smoking, never text and drive, and attend only the meetings that accomplish something important. We’d like to see the economy keep improving and good jobs for everyone who wants one, because, believe it or not, Americans are happiest when they feel they are doing something that benefits society and fulfills them personally. And we don’t care one bit that Brussels sprouts are the new kale. Note to readers: Ann McFeatters is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service. Readers may send her email at amcfeatters@ nationalpress.com.
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