The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-13
PARTY PURIFICATION.
Hon. Will Cumback's Views on the Duty Of
the American Institute of Civics.

There is an organization in this country called
American Institute of Cvcs" The Chief-just-
ice of the United States, Morrison R. Waite, is
president Its aim is the improvement of Amer
lean citizenship. Its members are the best men
in the country, and are in every State and Ter
ritory. The Citizen is the organ of the institute
1t is a twenty page monthly magazine and has
an immense circulation. 1t is published in Bos-
ton, Mass. Governor Will Cumback is one Of
the State counselors of the institute for Indiana
and is one OF the contributors of the magazine.
In the last number we find this article on Party
Publication"
The first object of the American Institute Of
Civics should be to impress the American citi-
zen with keener sense of his responsibility az
citizen. Partisan politics is implanted in the
mind of the youth and grows and develops un-
til he reaches manhood The glitter and glamor
and brilliant fireworks with the enthusiasm Of
political campaigns. captivate the boys, and
when they become men, without knowing why,
they are intense partisans.
The political education and partisan training
of the young is the cohesive power that makes
party columns solid and partisan lines SO hard
to break. In our present methods of conducting
political campaigns it would seem that there is
OUT Ilttle nope OF success III lnu6penQenL aCClCu
in politics. Here and there one may break away
from his party in his desire to reach reform
and correct an evil, but such efforts are gen.
orally consumed in the white heat of polit-
ical campaign There are not enough inde-
pendents to compass any good result, and
not infrequently their well-intended efforts in
the whirl and excitement of political conflict.
result in the certain defeat OF the purpose they
seek to attain, and prevent the consummaton Of
the hope that might otherwise have been real
lied
If this be a correct view of the situation,
what. then, is to be done? Manifestly, in it's
high purpose to give US better citizenship, and,
as consequence. purer government. it is the
duty of the institute to impress upon the mind
of the citizen the high duty of working
within his party for its elevation and purfca-
ton, and to great degree for the character Of
the men who hold office, whether elected by the
people or appointed by the Presidents then the
men in control should be those who have the
highest conception of honor and right, and the
fullest appreciation of good government To
reach this end the moral forces of every poit-
ical party must be found active in every caucus
and primary convention for there is the fount-
ain and origin Of all political policy and action.
If the fountain be impure, the steam flowing
from it will be tainted.
The man who folds his robes of assumed poiit-
ical sanctifcation around him, and makes his
boast that he will have nothing to do with the
dirty pool of party politics beyond the depositing
of his ballot, is simply publishing to the world
his own unftness to be an American citizen.
If the pool is filthy, it is because such as he
have refused to take any part in cleansing it,
and have turned the management of his party
over to the idlers and the vicious classes.
If the institute of cvcs can have the co-opera-
tion OF the pulpit, the press, and the platform, in
sounding louder note of warning to arouse the
dormant consciences of the men of the better
classes, securing their attendance at all party
meetings. and inspiring them with courage to
take the front seats and send political bummers
to the rear, and the great weight of mighty
political organizations shall thus be thrown
against the wrongs that have been powerful
for evil. then we may expect civilservice re-
FORM and the enactment of such laws as will
protect society; and what is still better, we
shall have their prompt and certain enforce
ment
Ours is a government of the people. If all the
people do not participate in its management,
then the class who do take control will impress
their own character and conduct on its every
feature The thoughtful and solid business men
of the Nation have BEEN and are, engrossed
in tneir own affairs that they have given little or
no attention to their political duties. The quiet
Christian gentleman does not care to compromise
himself or have his over-senstive nature
offended by coming in active contact with the
class of men who attend convert ions, and
make a noise to reach their ends and aims. 1t is
not matter of wonder that the beauty Of our
free institutions has been marred with the de-
formity of official ircapacity and the ugly ulcers
of official dishonesty.
In our great cities, especially, men who have
but little regard for law make the party nomina-
tons for judges, prosecuting attorneys, and other
important Offices. AS legitimate consequence.
law and order disappear, and crime and lawless-
ness take their place.
That there is virtue and intelligence enough in
the American people to give Us the best govern
ment in the world cannot be doubted but that
virtue and intelligence must be aroused and put
at the front Let not the Institute of Civics deal
in nero theories and distractions Let
there be no wasted effort to reach
the unattainabls. Let good solid work
be done in practical way. Let Us begin
at the very source of our political troubles and
apply the remedy there. Let US make men
ashamed to boast that they take no part in pol
tics. but let the badge of honor be given to him
who has so high an appreciation Of his citizen
ship that with untring vigilance he will give
his whole influence to the betterment of our po-
litical system. WILL CUMBAcK.
GREENsBURG, Ind.