The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-09-04
NEGLECT OF POLITICAL DUTY.

A great and growing evil of the present
day, is the neglsctsmanifested. by those who
are esteemed the best men in the community,
to interest themselves in the political affairs
of the country. Those who Ia fact have the
greatest stake in the government attend the
least to the proper administration of that
government. A large proportion of the in
telligent and wealthy classes are accustomed
to turn up their noses at politics and polite
ians, and make it their boast that they never
read political articles, never attend prm-
ary meeting, and never take the trouble to
vote except when it perfectly suits their con-
venience. The neglect of the more sultan
tial and Intelligent classes of the people to
attend to the affairs of their own government,
is working serious evil. In this country,
politics has become trade, and men unqual-
flied for Office. and regardless of the public
welfare, make use of the worst material in
the community for the purpose of serving
their own ends. The result is seen in the
mistakes, the populations, the tyranny and
general malfeasance of incompetent men and
unprincipled officials. Why do such men
get into office? Simply because good men
for public position, disgusted with politics.
will not serve the public. Our best farmers,
mechanics, merchants, manufacturers, CAPT.
talists, our best lawyers, and other profess
ional men, refuse to accept nominations for
public positions. Apparently they have too
little patriotism to do what is their duty as
members of the Body polttic. They are
shocked at the way things are going and on
they are the first to complain of official miscon-
duct, yet they will neither do the public |
work themselves, nor exercise their influence |
to select proper men to do it. They make it |
their boast that they ignore politics. This |
Is all wrong. The system of government un-
der which we live, is in theory, that the peo-
pie rule. But, if large masses of our most
respectable citizens refuse to exercise their
right to rule, what else can they expect but
bad government The sharpers of politics
and their followers, who make their living
out of politics, are better workers than those
who ought to maintain the control of public
affairs.
1t is time that people should take these
matters into their own hands. Mere politici.
ans have long enough made trade of their
rights and their interests. The fault is NOT
in our stars but in ourselves that we are
badly governed The people themselves
ought to attend to their own political affairs,
and if they will not do it, they will find men
ready and willing enough to do it for them
to their cost. Look at the way nominations
for Office are made: Meetings are called, and
the wire-workers commence operations among
Q class of persons who are subject to their
influences. The busy men, who do the work
for the community, and who ought to do up
Its politics, take no interest in these primary
meetings. The merchant, the manufacturer,
the farmer. the hard.working mechanic. do
not attend them. The real people stay at
home and leave the nominations to the mercy
of the few. Thus we have tickets put into
the held, in the selection of which the people :
have had no voice. because they have refused Q
10 take time enough to attend to what is q
most manifestly their own interest
ihey lind after all is over th.,,,bau