Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-05
POLITICS AS A DUTY.

as 10 how men should vote. The question now
is TO show the duty of voting. IL will not do
TO neglect politics, as our business men will
find out TO their cost and regret, if through
their failure to vote on Tuesday the High
tax Republicans elect the Eaton ticket. The
present form of city govfr1ment is Involved
in the election of candidates for the Legisla-
lure. Eaton voted for the one-hundred-s and
three iniquity. He cares nothing for the
taxpayer, and the election of the ticket
which he champions would sound the death
city government, and place the real estate
and tue merchants ard business men
of Memphis at The mercy Of rapicious cred
itors. The business men of this city would
make money by closing their houses on
Tuesday and working for ,he Democratic
ticket, headed by DIR. Porter, who has saved
the city from that ruin into which it will be
plunged by The election of men Who think
that the tsxpsying people have no rights
which the creditors ought TO respect. Ii is
all very fine TO war on politics and sneer al
elections. But when we come 10 apply this
theory to business, we find it won't work,
and that our politics and our elections are
quite as necessary, and concern US quite as
much as our business sffairs or anything else
hat enters into our daily life. Politics is
nothing but the science of governmeuI, aud
es our politics sre good bad, 80 is the gov
eminent good or bad. II the best men of
the community control The politics, the affairs
OF that community are prudently, honestly
4 IL. \ II
rupt men, men influenced by The legislative
lobby, men who have no sympathy with the
tax-ridden people, obtain control the country
suffers and the moral condition of its society
is degraded. This ia the difference between
good and bad politics-pure and impure
government. This being the case, il is to the
interest of all good men in Memphis and
Shelby county 10 see to it that on Tuesday
the best men are elected to Cffics. Ii all
this be true, how arc we to keep our
politics pure and make thea blessing in
stead of curse TO the people, unless the
best citizena, who are most concerned, inter-
est themselves and make il part OF their
business 10 see that the proper man are put
in charge Of their AFFAIR."? There is a great
difference be ween the mau who rakts poll.
tics his business, between the bosses who fix
up the candidates, and the business men who
vote 90 a matter of duty. The professional,
pothouse politician is an odorous charac-
ter. They live by politics, which is only an
other name for living by hook or by crook
and are generally voted a great nuisance;
and yet they have their uses, because they
dc work which the generality of men would
scorn to engage 10, bnt which is made
necessary in carrying elections. The art of |
politics very much resembles the 9rt of war, |
which is the last resort of politics; and an |
election, or an approaching election, is very
like battle, or the preparation for a battle; |
for in both the most sktllful strategy has to |
be used 10 secure the victory. That man is |
not a patriot who refuses to expose his life |
for its safety when his country is in danger; |
and that citizen is not worthy the respect OF |
consideration of his fellow citizens who |
shirks his duty on election day and endan- |
gers the best Interests of the State on the |
plea of attending 10 his own business"
Politics is his business, or part of il, SIS |
much as his bank account, or his rents, OF |
his factory, or his store, and he will find |
it so to his BORROW, if The city or State |
in which he carries on bis business /
operations falls into the hands of those |
who will injure or ruin that business for
him. Nor is il in local politics emily that |
the man of business should concern himself |
and take an active part, but in all the affairs /
OF state, from the highest 10 the lowest; for /
it is only by maintaining good government |
through good men that he can hope 10 pros |
much about the science of government, or
politics, for it may be sci down as au axiom
that that country is best governed and hap
piest whose people are best informed in its
politics. This being the case we trust we |
shall hear 10 more OF this ignorant twsddle
about not mixing in the filth of politics."
Who makes ii filthy but you who leave it to
the filthy, when you wash your hands OF it /
and turn il over to the worst elements to be |
rolled in the mire? Don't say you have to
attend to business and can't spare time to pol
itics; tor that is your business" your very
first business. Without good and well-orsan-
lied governments no business can be fixed, no
society permanent, and therefore politics is
the foundation stone of the whole social
of all business, of all pros
periiy, in fact, of every thing that is worth
living for or dying for. Aud we cay to every
merchant, manufacturer, business man. |
or other citizen having a stake
in this community, that This election which
comes off next Tuesday as deeply concerns
him and is as much part OF his business or
his work as the transaction OF that business
or performance of that work itself, and is q
duty of even much greater necessity; because
If he neglects il or leaves il undone, he will
soon find himself without business 10 trans-
act or work to perform. Then stop talking
this nonsense which only exposes your
ignorance, and instead of inyeighing |
gaiost politics and politicians, become one
yourseif-sn earnest, Intelligent, interested
ard devoted one-and do your whole duty as
8 good citizen, true patriot and an active
politician, BY working with all your might
and using all your influence for the election
Of Bate, Young and the Democratic candi-
dates for the Legislature from now until the
close of the polls on Tuesday. ]