The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-06-08
H DAILY l'REss.

demands a higher order of culture in those
by whom and for whom it is administered
than is required in the case of governments
more or less removed from tho republican
form. For this reason there are entailed upon
the citizen of the republic duties which do
not tall to the share of his less fortunate fell
low man living under the shadow of despot-
ism. Take, for instance, a Russian subject OF
the middle class, one not connected with the
beaurocracy by which the country is ruled,
and consider the nature of his duty. We say
duty, because, so far as the government is
concerned, he has but one, that of yielding
implicit obedience to the laws. He Is not
called upon to discuss, previous to the enact
'ment Of those laws, ei'ler their expediency
or what their effect may be when once en-
forced. Indeed, while these laws are under
discussion, or contemplation by their trainers,
the Russian of the middle class is not apt to
have the remotest idea that any such me assures
their existence is apt to be their promu' CATION
Ly the authorities placed over him by his i'm
perial master, the Car, his submission and
obedience to their mandates being claimed as
a matter of course. But if not allowed a
voice in deciding in advance upon the accept
ability Of the law he must obey, the latitude
of discussion allowed him when once it is
passed is equally limited. The right of OBJ
serving and deciding upon the effect Of meas
ules of legislation is arrogatea by the official
| rIn.Sas attar,pt nj rrit ipiS,n tf iiIa mart of
the common subject being far mere apt TO
make him acquainted with the knout, or to
secure him a passage to Siberia, than to win
for him the reputation of political s~agacity.
Such ! regime requires no particularly high
order of intelligence in those subject to 1t
very little higher, indeed, than is required of
the well, broken draught animal in properly
obeyilig the command Of his driver. We will
admit that this is AL extreme case, but for all
that it is not overdrawn. From this eXtrcnl-
ity, as We emerge further and further from
the gloomy abyss of despotiSnl, We find a
constantly increasing amount of intelligence,
ali ever au"menting exercise of the reason, ru-
qui:ed Of the subject Of a government more
or less constitutional, until at length we reach
the free republic whose free citizen not only
obeys but helps to make the laws.
Aud the duty of the latter does not end
with this. He not only helps to make the
laws but lie must also Judge Of their availa-
bility by the test Of actual praclice. and decide
upon their adaptability to the end held in
view by their originators. This of course de-
mands Il wide range Of information as we'll as
more active exercise of the intelligence on
the part of the free citizen than is asked of
the subject, or than would be permitted him
even if lie were inclined Of his own accord to
supply it. To meet the requirements of this
demand calls into existence several of the
agencies of our complex modern civilization;
but it is chiefly by the press that the want is
supplied. With all due Difference to the pull
pit and The lecturers %rostruin, it is not to be
questioned that the press is the most active
educational agei cy at work in the present
day. Il is more far reaching in its operation,
more universal in application and more speedy
and direct III e~Xerting its influence than any
other instrume ntality Of like tendency that
can he named. This is pretty we'll understood,
the MEETS OF the press meeting with so fair
a recognition that the number of newspapers
published in any COUNTY bears IA direct ratio
to the ttllness Of political and religious liberty
enjoyed Ivy the people of that country.
Measured by this standard. the United States,
as might be expected, stands in the van of the
civilized nations of the world, our newspapers
being not only more numerous in proportion
to the population bat also better. as vehicles
for the transmission OF news, than those OF
any other country.
But, considering the amount of informal
ton and the grade Of Intelligence required #
the American citizen in the discharge OF The
duties OF citizenship, is our political educa-
ton as i people as thorough as it ought to be?
When we consider what a miracle is the mod
erh daily paper, surprising as it does the hun
dred hands of BriareuS, with its mvriads of
arns-tle telegraph incs-stretcheh out over
the land, taking up important news now here
now there, and laying it before its readers
within a few hours of the occurrence ,Iescrib-
Ell, even when happening i'll the most remote
portions Of the world,-ab0ve all when we
remember what IA miracle of cAeapnesH is the
daily paper. and how all important is the in
formation II communicates, is the popular re-
course to it as an educatar as general as il
ought to be-: We think not. If II had been
We should not have Witnessed the SPECTACLE
presented in Chicago to-day, where q great
convention managed by chicane in swindline
the majority ont of the Influence justly theirs,
in attempting to nominate a third-term Presi-
dent. If the people generally had availed
themselves OF the education offered by the