The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-19
Indifference to Politics.

ED. THE recent Oc-
currences at Cincinnati teach lesson q.
which it would be we'll for US as citi-
zens of Garrett county to take to
heart. Comments are many and va
rious, and Leading writers will moral
iZe for some time to come on the
causes and the remedies for such state
of affairs. Indifference to citizenship
is an explanation of many of the ills
with which our body polite is afflict-
ed. We need not look very far be-
meath the surface to find that this is
what led to the troubles at Cincinnati.
The parties who get indignant when
justice miscarries, call Indignation
meetings, pass resolutions, arraing
the authorities for mismanagement
of public affairs, are the same ones
who turn up their noses at the men,
tion of politics. They don't register
and fail to vote, because according to
their view of affairs, all politicians are
corrupt. The very highest exercise
OF that liberty bequeathed to us bare
ly century ago by the perils, priva-
ton and blood of our forefathers. is
the ballot. If we fall to have that
privilege we have nothing.
The sensible law abiding citizens
surely outnumber the demagogues.
Indifference to citizenship is crime
itself against society. The duty Of
the hour is that every citizen, be he
high or low, rich or poor, be COM
PEELED by the unwritten law of public
opinion to walk I'D to the polls on
election day and vote his honest sen.
ments. 1t has always seemed to me
that our people take too much for
granted. We don't prize the privil-
eyes which we possess as we should.
A more feryid patriotism is what
is needed. A love for our coun-
try and its institutions should be in
culcated. Indifference to the welfare
of the state imperils society, and
eventually the ills of the body polite
are reflected on the home around
which are clustered all our desires
and hopes. Let Us stop for moment
and count the cost of our Indifference.
Such occurrences like that at Cincin-
natl may we'll give us cause. The
condition of our cities may well make
us despair Of the future of our coun-
try. Their majorities are restless un-
der the restraints imposed by society.
Their leaders are blatant demagogues,
who find employment pandering to
the worst side of human nature.
IIaziness is at the bottom of too many
of the ills of life. Our cities are social
volcanoes. The smouldering fires are
fed by laziness which leads to pau
perism and crime, Outlawing against
society finds vent at such times, and
the petroleuse holds high carnival.
The citizens of this great republic are
being confronted with some questions
which in the near future will require
the wisest exercise of judgment and
craftsmanship to solve, and this is
not idle talk. We have talked to a
great many thoughtful men within
the last six months in our own i'm
mediate neighborhood, on the i'm.
pending dangers of communism.
Mormanism. illiteracy, emigration.
the management of the liquor traffic
and the race conflict in the south are
all held to be Imminent. We cannot
as citizens be Indifferent to these mat
tiers. Only too soon may they be
brought home as in Cincinnati. The
columns of THE REPUBLICAN have
shown that our citizens can if they
will give forth no uncertain sound.
Unmerciless and unsparing should
be the criticism of every public Off
Ger who fails to do his duty. And go
to the primary and raise your voice
in favor of good men 60 to the polls
and vote and remain, and by your
presence uphold and strengthen the
influence of your neighbor. who does
not count as lost day spent in the
service of his country.
f, II. G.