Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-09-07
THE DUTY or THE HOUR.

Tboss who have observed the course Of
this PspeS ~ Segard to 'the machine will
agree that we have always insisted upon
the necessity Of concerted act I'M to secure
political results. II " net the work or the
organisation Of a "machineT that we or
pose, for the work is necessary and the or
ganiza,ion Indispensable. There Is a great
deal Of trouble TO be taken in practical
politics, great deal Of time and IN oney to
be spent IN word, there must be thor.
ough and efficient organization, or there
will be no adequate result. But that this
work should he done exclusively or chiefly
by the office holding class ir,not to bc sni-
fered, because IL submits tbe control of the
country TO n selfish oligarchy--a Aituation
which IL obviously FIJI! NJ danger, and
which every gool citizen wi II seek 10 avoid
| Now the conviction SDd public spirit which
! oppose "the machine" can not safely be
~atiAfied with its deatruction. They must
assume the work which they are unwilling
that official self4hness should monopolize.
| \ strong argument against "the machine"
aud one that has been strepuOuSIy urged
in the city OF New York, is that 1t excluded
u number Oi earnest and intelligent men
| from participation in I,OIitica. Nobody
could gp to State Convention, or he nom
mated for uhy position whatever, nnlcss he
belonged tn ward association, officered
and mtD1gcd by "the machine" and in
which condition Of membership was a
pledge always TO support the regular ac ion
of "the machine" But now that "the
machine" has been deraDged by the order
of the President, will these earnest and in
telligent men come forward and take the
active part from which it il said that they
have been dcbarred?
This is a question for every man who
has angrily protested against the old sys-
TEN aud has checrel the President IN his
course. l. he willing to help the good
work DoeH he expect the President to
purify politics by AN order? Does be sup
pose that tho work which "the machine"
has done will doitSelf when "the machine"
IL dISNbled1 The argument OF ''the ma.
chine" has always hcen that Il was wiser
not TO touch II, because IL il WAS ONCE br,,-'
ken it world be succcetle'l by something
worse. This argument will be in great
danger of Justification unless intelligent
and patriotic men Of aIl ages and pursuits
use the opportunity which the overthrow
Of ''Ihc machine" offers them. ThcirInty
and it is great public duty. which may
we'll appeal To the pat lriOiism and enthnsi-
asm aud ambition OF young men--is to
move Mt once and associate themselves for
action. There are hundreds and Thousands
Of such men in every city, there are some
OF them in every community, who have
recoiled from what they think TO be the
dirty work of politics. But the work is
not dirty unless they make il 40, and every
decent man who takes part makes it less
dirty.
The time is most auspicious for this reviv-
al in politics, for this CO operation OF those
who think they have no knowledge and no
taste for politics, but who took hand"
against the Tweed Ring in 1871, and sue
ceedel. They must do little Of the same
work all the time. II Il the condition of
healthful politics, and the prize Is we'll
worth the work. The time il especially
suspicious, because party lines are serious
ly elaxed, public opinion demands reform,
the President is resolved, the pressin great
p irt is sound, and "the machine" is crit.
pied by the Presidents order. The Re-
publican machine" can not plead that il
is essential to party success, for il is plain
that "the machine" management had
brought the party TO the verge Of destruc.
tion, and its continued ascendency would
have OverthrOwn il utterly. Ii the old en-
gineerS should stand aside with snecrs to
see how the new hands succeed, the new
hands can truly say that they cannot pos
| sibly do worse than The old have done.
But those who rejoice most 10 see the Pres
ident willing to lead in the good work
must also see that he has greatly increased
their labors. 1t is very pleasant and very
easy to demand OF somebody else a reform
OF the vicions civil service system, but the
question Of the moment for every patriotic
citizen is, Are You helping to reform it, or
are you merely cheering the idea? During
the battle of Bunker Hill the roofs Of the
houses in Boston were crowded with pnn-
fully interested spectators. But could
those interested spectators stood with War.
| rem in the trenches, the redcOats would
have been driven into the sea. The inter
ested spectators OF this fight can stand in
the trenches. Whoever is not there, is
| helpino the redcoats- HarnsyJa IYs,LI,,