The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-11-02
POLITICAL APATHY OUR SUPREME
DANGER.

Next Tuesday will settle the question
as to who will occupy the position of
Chief Mag istratc of this Nation for the
next four years. We will then decide
whether al old tossilized Democrat who
used all his influence against our govern
ment in time of need, shall be chosen to
the lofty position honorcd by such men
as Washington, Lincoln and Grant, or
whether an earnest, progressive, loyal
citizen who has done much for his coun-
ty-a man who was not afraid 20 grid on
his armor and go forth to fight and if
need be die for the land of his birth,
should be thought worthy to take the
highest position within the gift of the
people We are not much afraid of the
result, and yet it will be necessary to
work earnestly and necessarily from now
till next Tuesday night, for the Demo
cratic party, both North and South is des-
perate md will leave no stone unturned,
and no work undone which will be of
benefit to them and assist them in carry
ing the election We commend the fol-
lowing article clipped from the ~ 7,
Ecening Mail, to the attention of our
readers.
One of our earliest rccollections is that
of political meeting in a country VII
lage which was addressed by a gray-hair-
cd Democrat, of the school of jackson.
He was an old man, but full of energy
E,,l thnypnnItltr hnlinUnI n
the preservation of our free institutions
depended on the continuance of his party
in power. We recollect very little about
the meeting, or the speech. excepting one
part of it, which was uttered with such
terrible earncStncss, that it made Il lasting
impression. The old man was talking
about the people VIII deprecated political
discussion and excitement, and after de-
nouncing them for their indifference to
the general welfare, he drew himself up
to MS full height, and his eyes and tone
of VOICE expressed the deepest and most
solemn earnestness, as he said Fellow
citizens, If the institutions for which our
fathers fought ever perish, it will not be
on account of party struggles and excite
ments, but because of the apathy of the
people to politics. That is the great dan
ger, and there is no other to compare with
IT.
Since then we have heard many great
speeches, which left few lastingly distinct
on our mind. However
pleasing, or thrilling, or beautiful, they
might haYe been, they were as fleeting in
the memory as the clouds that pass in an
April day. But there was something in
the manner in which this stern old Dem
ocrat set forth the conviction begotten OF
Il long experience, that gave to this utter |
ance the impressiveness OF prophetic
warning, and the memory OF it has come
back again and again. 1t was the truth,
told by man who felt and knew it to be |
the truth and for that reason it sank deep |
into the consciousness of every Intelligent
hearer, we doubt not.
If il was true then, it is far truer now.
Our people have paid dearly for their in
attention to politics" The South never
would have gone into rebellion had the
North given its mind to"poltics" as thor
,ugllly as the South did. While we were
giving our best energies to money max
ng. to literature, to the arts ard sciences,
o the refinements and Injuries OF clylllza-
ion, the Southern men were concentrate
ng their best faculties On politics the
.rt of ruling this country through the
Democratic party. When, here and there,