1959 News Rips ‘White Slaver, Grouch’
Historical reproductions by Dick Perue
Editor of The Saratoga Sun painted a bleak picture of events at start of the New Year in the Jan. 14, 1915 issue of the newspaper. The following articles, errors and all, appeared on the editorial page:
Took The Count
Mayor Montgomery, of Gillette, has lost his last hope at escaping the Federal Penn, at Leavenworth, Kan., as a white slaver. Owner of the local paper, mayor of the city, manager of the political machine and controller of the local booze joints and houses of the underworld, he has held his own pretty well and was out on bonds after conviction in the U.S. District court, for over a year ago, pending his appeal to the Supreme Court.
His case has failed and he must serve his term. It was for the conviction of this man United States Attorney Ridgely was removed from office by Wilson, as Montgomery was a leading democrat light, and a glance over the names of the state’s prominent democrats on his bond, would give anyone an insight into the hold this white slaver had on that party in this state.
The Grouch
The Great Creator in His wisdom created many men of many minds and temperaments knowing if the sons of men were alike in wishes and desires it would lead to unending strife.
He created well, for man is the noblest work of God. But, in some way there crept into the world a creature God did not create – a thing self-made – be it male or female, that is hated, despised and abhorred – a thing self-created, self-pitied and abnormally self loved.
This self-created creature is the chronic grouch who walks here and there in every town and community searching for happiness – that he may destroy it. Flowers and children, because they represent beauty and love, he detests. He reads as he runs that all men are liars and all women but creatures of evil.
In summer he reviles the bright sunshine and hates the green hills. In winter, he reviles the cleansing snow and the purifying frost. The bitterness of gall and wormwood is within his heart.
Children flee from him, and his wife can be classed among the martyrs. Men shun him and the world hates him. From an early age he walked this earth spreading unhappiness and unbelief – a maker of evil and discord.
Let us throw the x-ray of self-examination into our own hearts and search out the little microbe, which has a tendency to multiply and produce, in time the hated grouch. There is too much love and sunshine in this old world of ours to spoil it with the canker of selfishness.
