Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-08-27
a REAL, NOT ANIMAGINARY PERIL.

- READ NOL - rEnAAA-
Our political pessimists never tire OF
their selfimposed and melancholy task
OF predicting the speedy collapse of the
Republic. They warn US against many
perils actually existing, and point out
other dangers as Fastening to OvertSke
us, and overwhelm in ruin the fair fabric
of our liberties. Their predictions and
evil warnings are usually based on the
asserted growing ihfidelity ofthe young
men OF the country; on the increase OF
what they term Sabhath-deseeration;
on the decrease in attendance upon the
services of the Christian Church; on
the yenaIity and selfishness OF our pub
lie men; on the luxury and dissipation
prevailing in our large cities; on the
grasping rapacity of the great corpora
lions, and on the vast tide of foreign
immigration now rollingOnthese shores.
These are the rocks they see ahead, and
it is upon these that they confidently ex-
rect to see the Ship Of State strike
and go to pieces. 1t would be an easy
task TO show that some OF these periis
are purely imaginary, that some are
blessings in disguise, and that Others are
Corrcctible and vincible, while the real,
present, serious peril is either not dis
tmctly seen, or being apPrehended, Is
not strongly emphasized. The real
peril of the times is the inditfer-
ence Ofthe best men Of the country to
their political duties. There is enough
intelligence, enough virtue, enough pa
triotiSm in this country to govern it
wisely, Justly, honestly; but this intelli-
gence. this virtue and patriotism Is
either unorganized or indifferent. 1t is to
be admitted that is it a fact, and a dan
gerous fact, too, that the men who actu-
ally control the politics of the country
are not the ablest or wiSest, or
purest among Us. The initiation in
practical political action in this country
Is generally taken by class Of men who
are neither sages nor saints, and usually
the sages and saints are restricted in
their choice of public officers to eandi-
dates selected by professional and
not over-scrupulous politicians. The
alienation from public life Of the most
capable ana conscientious citizens is a
great and crying evil, an evil that bodies
real danger if it be not speedily correct
cd, and to the correction of which every
patriot should bend his energies. How
many men who ought to be at caucuses
are never there? Is it not true that the
uuiet, solid, God-fearing men Of the
community are conspicuous by their
absence from nominating conventions?
The men who control caucuseS and pri-
maries and nominating conventions,
and thus in the end give tone to our
public life, are they the men who would
he called to the front in a great national
emergency? There are thousands OF
the best citizens of the Republic who
practically ignore their political duties,
refusing even to vote except at Presi-
dental elections. Ii is matter Of COM
mon nOtOriety that many of the dwell
ers i'm the brown. stone houses in
New York City never vote at all,
and there is q class of puristS in
every section of our country whose
Roast it is that they have nothing to do
with politics. We fear that this class is
much larger than is generally suspect
ed. \ successful business man, a man
of integrity and capacity, a sincere pa
triut, a devote Chri-tian, uNlnS IN
large city in this country noted for its
miSgovernment, recently said in a pri-
waite conversation that he never went
To the polls save at State and Natianal
elections, and that he had never been
at a primary, a eau Gus, or n nominating
convention in his life, and he made this
statement in way that indicated his
belief that his conduct in these matters
had been meritOrious. The number of
such men is very large in this country,
and it is increasing rather than dimin-
ishing. Herein is a real, not an imagi-
nary, peril-the indifference OF good
men to the Government of their cOun-
try. This is practical infidelity of the
worst kind, the deliberate surrender of
the wise and vhtuous TO the ignorant
and vicious. Inflow many of the wealthy
and aristocratic churches of this land,
with their high-priced pews and kid
gloved ushers, and practical exclusion
of the poor, where Sunday trains, and
street-cars, and newspapers are de-
nounced with holy vehemenee, and
where the dangers of infdelity and for.
eign immigration are depicted in glow
ing coiors-in how many such churches
will the message be delivered, in clear
and distinct terms, that it is the solemn
duty of intelligent, prosperous, capable,
religious men to take an active part in
practical politics, and that if the worst
gain the upper hand in public affairs it
is because Of the apathy, the inditfer-
euce, the supereiliousnesS of the best?
This is the gospel for the times. Where
is the prophet who will be bold enough
to speak these words to the people until
they hear and obey?
0@41.....s.-......1ln2n
STANDING ARMIES.
Oua Of tho OWLS that Our DatriOtic fore.