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♦ Editorial Page Week Ending Dec, 30,1913 We Learn By Trying The Hearst newspapers, year after year, talked and urged parcel post—which means government ownership of the coun try’s express business. Some said that parcel post would be criminal. Nearly every body said it was bound to be a failure. The express companies explained that the people were not intelligent enough to do what the express companies did. But parcel post is here AND IT EARNED FOR THE GOV ERNMENT ABOUT THIRTY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THE FIRST YEAR. AntJ as a result of parcel post, the postoffice of the United States is now on a paying basis for the first time since 1883. To put government work on a paying basis is, of course, not the most important thing. The most important thing is good work and ECONOMICAL SERVICE FOR THE PEOPLE. The people could afford parcel post because of its conven ience, usefulness and economy, even if it didn’t mean a profit to the government. But the fact that the government makes millions our of par cel post and now runs its own express business in such a way as to make the whole postoffice profitable ought to convince some of the doubters. We are through advocating parcel post, for it is here. We are still advocating government ownership, and municipal own ership of other things. And municipal and national ownership will come. THERE WILL BE MISTAKES MADE, BUT WE LEARN BY TRYING. Some things are done by private individuals, spurred on by love of power and money, a little better perhaps than the gov ernment will do those things at first. But the government WILL DO THEM. It would be foolish to send a little child out to walk in a crowded street at first, but it must learn to walk some time. And eventually the crowded street will not frighten it. It would be a mistake, undoubtedly, for the government, national or municipal, to try to run every public service AT ONCE, but the government, that is to say, the people, must learn to do these things, and will to them. The people will own and manage for their benefit all of the NATURAL MONOPOLIES that have been misused by private individuals for private benefit. And you may make up your mind to that. The government will own and run railroads, telegraph—and in time many other things that need not be suggested at present. Meanwhile, observe that the first thing actually tried, the parcel post, is a success. And get over your pessimism about the power of the people to do things instead of having them done. The combined intelligence of the people in the long run is better and abler than the individual. The New Banking Because the new currency law might have been better it is not necessarily bad. On the contrary, it is so decided a step in advance of the present system that the country is to be congrat ulated upon its final enactment. The Georgian has agreed with those students of the cur rency, like Mr. Vanderlip, who believed that a strong central bank controlled by the Government would prove a more efficient agent for adjusting the ebb and flow of the currency to the needs of business. Congress thought otherwise, but Congress may be led to recognize its error and a measure which is essentially right in principle can always be amended when experience has shown amendment to be desirable. It is quite evident that the measure is going to be accepted in good faith by even the forces that have been fighting it. The President referred to this indication in his speech on signing the measure, and expressed the hope and expectation that this “con structive Democratic’’ measure would usher in a new day of prosperity. The hope will be shared even if the expectation is not. # The President should remember that the currency bills is not and Currency Law the first great measure of his administration. The tariff law took precedence, and under that law, which opened American markets to foreigners with no reciprocal concessions from them, business is staggering. That a currency law, however excellent, can wholly undo the evil already done is unlikely. The Republican leader in the House, Mr. Mann, has claimed that the Democrats intend to bring business out of the stupefac tion into which the tariff law plunged it by administering the stimulus of an inflated currency. The charge is unjust. The Glass-Owen bill provides for no inflation of the currency. The notes issued under it will be based on gold and gilt-edged commercial paper, and their retirement properly provided for. If the method of utilizing credits and distributing the notes were more scientifically provided for by the creation of a central bank, the law would be above criticism. But it will not correct the faults of the tariff bill either by unhealthily stimulating trade or in any other way. The President declares that the only satisfactory reply to criticism is in action. What action does he propose in reply to criticisms of the new tariff? * Is it possible that that measure is held sacred beyond tho thought of amendment? I T was 136 years ago that Washington’s army began its terrible experience at Valley Forge, an experience that was well calculated to “try men’s souls.” It was the gloomiest period of all the long struggle for inde pendence. The Continental mon ey was so depreciated in value that an officer’s pay would hardly keep him in clothing. The men were encamped in miserable huts, through which the searching win ter winds whistled in cruel mock ery. Barefooted, the men left upon the snow their tracks in blood. Few had blankets, or even straw. Their bed was the bare, frozen earth. Medicines were scarce, and for many of the sick death w r as the only relief. The great-souled man upon whom all the responsibility rest ed suffered more than the rank and file, for, besides all the perils of want and famine which he shared with his soldiers, Wash ington was called upon to suffer from envy and calumny. Cun ning intrigue was busy, trying to destroy his reputation and influ ence in order that another might succeed to the high command. The infamous “Conway Cabal” worked like a demon against the American commander, and the conspiracy was so far successful that it had him censured in Con gress by members from Pennsyl vania and Massachusetts. But through it all the fires of -'atriotic devotion burned bright ly. The noble Washington bore the ordeal patiently and with all becoming grace, and the men of the rank and file suffered in si lence the worst that came to them. The scoundrelly plotters tried to bribe General Reed to use his influence against Washington, only to meet with the immortal rebuke: “I am not w r orth pur chasing, but, such as I am, the King of England is not rich enough to buy me.” Such was the spirit that nerved the patriots throughout those un speakable sufferings of the win ter at Valley Forge. In silence and in hope, with courage unabat ed and their love of country un dimmed, they endured all—until the time might come for them to strike another blow for freedom. LAFAYETTE’S DEATH. K. A. H.—Lafayette died in Paris, May 20, 1834, at the age of 77. He died, not violently, but naturally and beautifully, sur rounded by a company of loving friends. The “friend of America, and of liberty everywhere,” left behind him a reputation without a flaw. His character as a man w r as almost perfect. THE RICHEST COUNTRY. F. G.—The “richest country in the world” is this one of ours—the United States of America. There is no other country that can hold a candle to this. France ts rich, Great Britain is rich, but the United States is richer than France and Great Britain com bined, with many billions to spare. WHY CAESAR. T. H. S.—For twenty years the republic had been desolated and crazed by the strife of contending factions, and the cr-V of the peo ple was for peace. There was needed a strong central power embodied in the will of a single man, ruling with absolute and un resisted sway. Of factions the people had quite enough. Of course the people could have pre vented the establishment of the empire, which to them meant peace. THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE. C. J. R.—The “Primrose League” was formed in 1884, in memory of the late Lord Bea- consfield, whose favorite flower the primrose is thought to have been. Beaconsfleld died on April 19, 1881, and the anniversary of that day is termed “Primrose Daj, when the flower is general ly worn by his admirers and also placed upon his statue in Parlia ment Square. The joke of it is, the primrose was not the great statesman’s favorite flower. it was, however, the favorite flower of Queen Victoria, and when ask- aavised sending “the -arim) my favorite flower.” in some the matter got mixed up, and delusion sprang up that m, nalized in the “Prim League.” WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES. J - p F. Wedding anniversa ries are as follows: 1st . . . Cotton 2d ... . Paper 2d . , , Leather 4th . . Flowers 5th , . Wooden 6 th . . . Sugar *th , . Woolen 8th . . Rubber &th . . Willow 1 0th .... Tin 75th Hth . . . steel 12th , , , Linen l 3t h . , , Lace 14th . . . Ivory 15th . . Crystal 20th , . , China 25th . , Silver 20th . , . Pearl 40th . . . Rubv 50th . . . Gold • . . . Diamond