Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-12-03


moral power in the people to counteract
this influence and maintain the standard
of virtue necessary to the life of the ma
ton. And there must be manifest to all
the solemn obligation which rests upon
every citizeu to use his utmost endeavors
to elevate the standard of morals and
true patriotism among the people that
the nations integrity may be preserved.
GU On his responsibility for the char
acter of officials. In republic the people
are the sovereigns all power and author
ity is primarily derived from them. Of
flee holders whether legislative or exec
utive are the representatives of the people
by whom they are elected, hence the
people are responsible for the character
and action of the men they place i'll office.
As this is the case. it is manifestly the
duty of every citizen to choose such Off
GERS as in his opinion will faithfully dis
charge those duties which devolve upon
them. He who for the sake of party pre-
JUDGE or personal feeling acts otherwise
|
regard to these solemn obligations is US
ing the full amount of his influence to
sap the very foundations of government.
CD On his obligation to those who
cannot participate in the government and
to pOsteritv. When we consider that
every voter represents about five persons,
women and children who have no voice
| in government but are dependent upon
welfare, we ace that this obligation is a
most serious one. As citizens we are
bound to do the best we can to secure
government under whose protection all
shall be safe and feel no oppression-and
to transmit to our children this goodly
heritage of our fathers, untainted by
dishonor and unsullied by corruption.
IL. The nature of his duty.
Cd He should not ignore politics. No
man can neglect his duty as a citizen
without doing moral wrong to society.
Instead of being disgraceful for Chris
tian man or even a Christian minister to
engage in politics to such extent as is
necessary to defeat the schemes of I'M
principled men and to secure the best in
terests of society, it is his solemn duty
to do so, which he has no right TO neglect.
(2) He should keep himself well in
formed in politics that he may be able to
form Il correct judgment of men and
hn oh tnH N
the present day leaves Il man no excuse
for political ignorance.
(3) He should be Christian in poll
tics. Religion is not like a Sunday coat.
to be worn to church and laid aside at
other times. 1t should be his everyday
garb and exercise a hallOwed influence
over all his actions; especially when en-
gagged in politics. where he is most likely
to have bad passions aroused and to Ire
Influenced to wrong action, he should not
leave his religion behind No; religion
and politics should not be divorced. In
all political action he should be guided
by Christian principles and controlled by
Christian motives; being ever on his
guard not to sink the Christian citizen
into the mere partisan.
a He should use his influence to Sc
cure the nomination and election of up
right, honest and intelligent men to Of
flee, and signify his disapproval of all
political chicanery and corruption by
perSStently refusing to endorse by his
ballot those who are guilty of such mis-
demeanor>. The power of the protest of
the ballot against wrong-dOing, even by
a small minority, is not fully appreciat-
ed. 1t is often said that unless one votes
with one of the great parties he loses
the effect of his ballot altogether. The
bugbear which is often used to deter men
from acting with new party for the
purpose of etfecting some great moral re-
form is, 'Iou are throwing away your
ballot" Such an argument is Il delusion
and false. For parties, like other things,
have "A beginning and growth. The
child has not the strength of the man.
But if he is healthy and vigorous he will
become IA man in due time and exult in
the eXuberance of manly strength. His
tory teaches us that political parties have
IA similar growth. Nor is this all. Even
a party that is largely in the minority
has power not to be dcspiSed, to com
pei other parties to make better nominal
tions and to support'more salutary meas
ures.
As to the comparative value of men
and measures We say: Give us sound
principles in our political platforms,
right, true, God-fearing men to carry
them out and party behind them that
insists upon strict fidelity to those prn-
ciples, and the country will prosper I'M
der their rule. Finally, the Christian is
the conservative force in politics, using
that word in its strict sense preventative.
He is such in two senses. Cd His infu-
ence is conservative. 1t tends to keep
up the moral tone of politics and prevent
/ II From, 81 into Dammit ic nc him