Adams County Makes the News - Council Leader #27

The Adams County Leader
Published Every Friday by the Council Publishing Company. 
Eighty-nine per cent of the stock of the above company
is owned by F.H. Michaelson.
F. H. Michaelson Editor and Manager

February 20, 1920
A FEW DAYS AGO

A few days ago, one of our neighbors mentioned to us that the street in front of our office seemed to be the town loafing place.  Guess he was right.  The high ground provides the first dry spot along the street and youngsters gather by the dozen to play marbles.  Then older folks gather to watch the children, and so forth and so on. 

A few days ago, some person brought a pair of boxing gloves and the street was turned into a gymnasium, the attendance being about as large as might be expected at an average auction sale.  As near as we could see there was no harm in the meeting except that the sidewalk was more of less blocked by onlookers and, as is always true in a street gathering, some roughnecks occasionally let go a bunch of language especially inappropriate in the presence of children.  However this may be, the point we wish to make is that street gatherings of little children do not disturb us in the least.  This being true, if they rasp the nerves of any other person it is up to such person to take such actions as he deems best.  We do not own the street.

August 13, 1920
AUTOMOBILE ORDINANCES
Elsewhere in this issue is an ordinance concerning the operation of automobiles within the limits of the Village of Council.  The ordinance makes particular reference to the parking of cars and forbids driving with “cutouts” open.  It also forbids parking cars around the public square, Moser Avenue, or Illinois Avenue, or in front of the post office except as especially provided.  Auto users will do well to read the ordinance carefully. 

City officials have also asked us to call to mind that Ordinance No. 51 limits speed to twelve miles an hour within the town limits and forbids driving after dark without both front and rear lights.  We are authorized to state that the ordinances here mentioned are to be enforced without favor.  From what we can gather, violation will be about equivalent to saying: “Good morning, Judge, I didn’t realize I was really a law breaker.  Please excuse me while I step around the corner and borrow umpteen bones.”

August 13, 1920
DANCE AT THE PEOPLE’S THEATRE
The Dance given at the People’s Theatre on Tuesday night, at which the Shubert Jazz Orchestra provided music, drew a crowd that packed the hall to capacity.  Those who attended say that the music was good.  Maybe it was, but we herewith wish to enter protest.  We live less than a thousand miles from the hall and were sleeping when the first jazz blast rent the air.  During the past fifty or sixty years, the matter of dancing has been troublesome to us because we have a Methodist foot that wants to go to camp-meeting and another hoof that inclines to the cake-walk.  On Tuesday night, each time a new musical extravaganza started, we would awaken to find that one foot was kicking the bottom of our cradle.  To get relief, we changed sides and then both feet started jigging.  All in all, jazz music should be put under the ban as an intoxicant.  If continued long enough, it would even cause an Egyptian mummy to saunter forth and rattle its bones.

September 24, 1920 
WILL ADOPT CASH BASIS ON OCTOBER 1
 
To Our Many Friends and Patrons: We beg to announce that on and after October 1, we will discontinue selling merchandise on credit.  In other words, we will in the future conduct our business on a strictly cash basis.  We have given this matter serious consideration for some time and have concluded that by operating our business in this manner we can serve you more efficiently and can supply your needs in the lines we carry in a far more satisfactory manner than we could while operating under the credit system—which is now recognized the country over as the OBSOLETE METHOD OF MERCHANDISING.  The only exception to the above method will be for those living on the stage and rail lines, in which cases an itemized bill will accompany the order with the understanding that payment is to be made by return mail.
Very Sincerely Yours, Council Hardware and Implement Company

September 10,1920
THE AUTHORITIES OF A CHICAGO HOSPITAL

The authorities of a Chicago hospital last week refused to permit of the burial of the body of a woman, or surrender to its father a six weeks’ old child because the husband and father was unable to pay the balance of seventy-five dollars on a hospital bill.  The husband was flatly told that the burial would not be permitted until the bill was paid.  To the average normal mind, conduct such as above defined is almost inconceivable, and there is something about it which causes one to be grateful that he lives in the country.
November 19, 1920

CONCERNING PROPOSED SOLDIER MEMORIAL

The effort of the members of the American Legion of this county and their friends to make possible the erection of a memorial building in honor of those who died in the service has been meeting with hearty encouragement on the part of some citizens and, as is always to be expected in matters of this kind, an occasional chilly reception.  In one or two instances soldiers who had been appointed to gather funds were told that the plan was “just a graft” – and in each case the soldier was such an excellent citizen that he permitted the incident to pass without committing an assault. 

This brings up the thought that throughout the nation and ever since the war closed, there has been apprehension, on the part of an element of society which worships exclusively at the throne of Mammon, that the soldiers might in some manner receive a part of the recognition that is their due.  A few months ago, learned U. S. senators stood in the halls of Congress and proclaimed that to grant returning soldiers even a decent part of the pay received during the war by common laborers would not only dim the glory of their patriotism, but would inflict an improper burden of taxation on the public.  Investigation recently determined that an eastern notable who was loudly opposing practical recognition of the service of our soldiers had gathered in $26,000,000 during the war, and at the time of his public speeches had claims against the government for $4,000,000 based on the “profit he would have made in case the war had continued as long as he had been led to believe it would.”  We mention this as but an illustration that considerable of our much-tooted “hundred percent Americanism” was based on a thousand per cent profit.  The case mentioned is not an isolated instance, but one of thousands which involve millions upon millions of ill-gotten wealth.  Under the circumstances it is not strange that in grabbing for wealth, a certain portion of society has utterly shut its eyes to a general fair deal for the soldiers.


October 29, 1920
NOTICE TO VOTERS

Because it has been necessary that I keep at my daily work, I have been unable, as the republican nominee for sheriff, to visit the various parts of the county in the interests of my candidacy.  It is perhaps because I have not made a personal campaign that I have heard it rumored that I do not really care for the office.  It is for this reason I will state that if I did not desire the place I would not have filed for the office.  I believe that I am qualified to fill the position properly, and assure taxpayers that if I elected I will handle the work without employing a permanent deputy.

Respectfully, Vollie V. Zink

compiled by Eberle Umbach