The Grange advance., 1874-04-08
RY A. GAYLORD sPALDING.


4
Monsieur De Tocqueville, in his great
book of :. Democracy in America, - seems
to think the influence Of our popular
governmental institutions on the people
is to dislute and weaken their moral
strength and principles. Public opinion
being our sovereign king, men fear it,
and naturally become subservient and
craven spirited, and, as individuals, have
no opinions at all, or, having them, lack
the courage to give them fair expression.
Thus we have become nation Of moral
ly undecided and cowardly men, just
fitted for the tools Of demagogues and
selfish party leaders Every man learns
to fawn and flatter and bait the next man,
for his vote, or a good bargain. This is
the way politics is managed and elections
are carried.
Politics everywhere is system Of
shysterism or Ku Kluxism. We are a
nation Of obsequious people, or lickspit-
tles-every one wearing mask-and
our hearts are like muffled drums, that
beat not our own best tunes. Think of
it! Lickspittle ministers, lckspittle doc
tors, lckspittle lawyers, lickspittle edit
ors, lickspittle writer's and correspondents,
ickspittle readers - lickspittle every
body! All for party, sect, trade, fash
ion. 1t is our national political educa-
tion.' This is Mrs. Grundy. No indie
pendence; no principle. Ignorant
triAing - shameful - contemplate! A
successful party politician must, in the
nature Of things, be shiny, snaky, slip
perry lickspittle.
AS an example to the world it would
be well if some town or state could stand
up minnesota, for instance, why not
she is doing her best this year) in the
beauty and dignity of true moral and
political ideas and principles. But men
are content to keep along in the deep
worn cart-wheel ruts of old habit and
custom. All must join in the annual
dog fight Of party politics. 1t is peri
odical plague or pestilence which we can.
not avoid. Each one goes in. though he
feels meaner and dirtier every time.
And why do they? (Pity the women
can't vote, to shame them.) It is a
shrewd checker game, at which the of:
fee mongers always win, and the people
always lose. The people, as Dean Swift
says-in their simplicity-seem as well
pleased with being cheated as to cheat.
1t is kind Of political play with them,
and the fun compensates for all the sac
rifice. And there is no end to it. The
same babel confusion of tongues, the
same shameful slang of newspapers, the
same party tricks, over and over, regu-
larly as the planets revolve around-a
tiresome, sickening monotony. This we
proudly call government. Is it democ-
racy-the real unwashed-or is it repub-
licanism? What is the difference? Tell
us, O ye editors, erudite and wise?
We have always seemed fated to have
in our midst class of men-sharpers
and demagogues- determined to shuttle
political cards for their bread and butter.
They study the popular winds, and go
with the strongest current. They win,
Of course, on one side or the other, and
thus all our high places are filed. Such
men, as a rule, are utterly selfish and
unprincipled, and they covet these nice
positions for the big pay and little work
there is in them. This explains the Of
fetal corruptions and salary grabs. 1t is
not the fault of party, nor can it be rem
edied by exchanging one party for an
other, for this has been the method of &
century. No, it is the system that must
be corrected.
The element needed in our politics il
the principle Of humanity as a basis
That makes hard pan bottom, and
would give it substance and character
and take out the wind, thereby contract
:rc. Sc o,,,ohlnns hnll TIL IL =.