The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1884-09-13

Ihere Is such a being as true
reformer. Like another Baptist be
suddenly steps out into the area of
literature, theology or politics, and
becomes living power. He lifts
up his voice against the evils of his
time, carefully separating it from
all that is good, striking only at the
abuses that characterize his age.
The Reformer however has many
lmltators, certain quasi-lights who
have all the outward and visible
signs of the true genius but none of
the loftineSs, the courage, the un-
selhshness, the prophetic vision OF
thetrue reformer. These abound in
the present day, they tell us, that
those in power are base, that the
single way to reformation is by dis
ruption, substituting the new for Tho
old, casting away the powers that
be, and placing others in their
places who shall sweep out the
Augean stable, and sweeten the whole
building by a thorough application
OF the newly patented New York
Disinfectant. The declaration. that
the Public cares nothing for the
moral character of the man who is
to be Chief Magistrate Of the Nation
is Infamous, and is an unworthy
defamation Of the American Char
acter. In this we take wide issue
with "Straf' who has certainly ia leu
to interpret with the eagle glance OF
the Reformer the real feeling and
temper Of the country. The Public
does care whether it's standard bearer
be without fear or without reprpacl.
1t has voted its rules into office fer
upwards of a Century: its list con-
tains names Of which any Country
may be proud, of men without any
pride of ancestry, or lofty historic
fame,--nlen whose hands welded
the regalia of labor, who never the
less directed the reins Of government
with dignity and power, and whose
character and reputation will bear
comparison for morality and single
hess Of aim and true heroism, with
any in the world. Notwithstanding
this revolving picture of total
moral depravity in politics which
the profound publcist' has in
dicated, the Country has grown rich
and prosperous, anil happy, with a
rapidity, that has confounded the
Nations of tile old world, and filled
them with admiration for our prin-
pies Of government and possibly
with envy for our peace, As the
Nation proceeds with rapid strides
along the path Of progress. and
comes to the front, in all its wealth
Of resource, and power to accom-
plish, it becomes more and more
imperative, that the one who repre-
sents the Great American Republic
shall be III every sense A MAN. The
profound thinker, is generally eau
tious, in attacking existing institu-
tionS. that have stood the rain, and
the wind, and the floods of CEN
turies, they have reason for their
existence and principle that en-
ables them to bear aloft against the
surges of time, but the brainleSs l
conoclast, powerless to build up
without natural reverence, boldly
attacks, both Church and State de-
facing each with his hideous
scratches. Political shysters often
use bamboozling arguments: the
bank illustration is an example of
this. We must remember that al
though, Bank Managers and others
insist on their employees taking
their holiday etc,-they do not cash
Ter them, except when recalcitrant;
but we are advised to turn them all
out and put in a new set taken from q
public so debasedt dthat 1t is utterly care
less of moral or morality. Better
''endure the ills we have than fly
to others we know not Of'':-further
any student of politics knows, that
the nower is fairly evaulv h,l.nrad