Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-05-16

adoption of measures which will look to the
amelloration Of the people and society and
bring us nearer to the earlier, simpler and
better methods of government. The pre-
diction OF Macaulay in 1857, when he said
that:
The day will come when in the State of
New York a multitude of people, not one of
whom has had moro than half breakfast
or expect to have more than half dinner,
viii choose Legislature. Is it possible to
doubt what sort of Legislature win be
chosenl On one side is statesman preach
ing for patience, respected for vested rights,
strict observance of public faith; on the
other IS demagogue caating about tyran-
ny OF capitalists and usurers, and asking
why any body should be permitted to drink
champagne and ride in carriages while
thousands of honest folks are in want Of
necessaries. Which of the two candidates
is likely to be preferred by the working
man who hears his children crying for
breadi l seriously apprehend that you will,
in some such seasons of adversely as have
described, do things which will prevent
prosperity from returning Either some
Cesar or Napoleon will seize the reins of
government with strong hand, or your
republic will be as fearfully plundered and
laid waste by barbarians in the twentieth
century as the Roman empire was in the
fifth, with this difference, that the Huns
and Vandals will have been engendered in
your own country and by your own lnstitu-
tions," must not be realized.
There have been threatenings and NUT
terings Of this revolution, but it is possible
to avoid it by correction of the causes for
distrust, which are apparent. An unselfsh
patriotism must take the place of sordid
politics; the corrupting influences attendant
upon the use OF money and promises of re-
ward at elections must be stopped; the cor
rupt system of the primaries and the eau
cuses must be broken up; progressive poll
tics means the application of business meth
DDS in the control OF governmental affairs;
the administration of city governments
placed upon business basis and controlled
by business men; it means the enforcement
OF municipal officers, city councils and
boards Of education from the communicating
influence OF the corrupt and vicious methods
of politics; it means the joining of the hands
of patriots for a crusade against unscrupu-
lous and dishonest men who invade and too
frequently control our public affairs; it
means the election of better men to the
municipal, county and State trusts; the Sc
lection Of better men for the State Legis-
latures and for Congress, the resultant
benefit OF which will be better laws and bet
ter administration; it means an early check
upon the unrestricted Capitalization of
wealth-creating giant monopolies and au-
tocracies; progressive politics means more
patriotism and less partisanship 1t was
the boast OF Augustus that he found Rome
of brick and left it of marble, but it has been
well said: "How much more noble it will be
when ruler can say that he found law dear
and left it cheap; found it sealed book,
loft II n Ervfrr 1a4fa .& 81. ~.
ance of the rich, left it the birthright of the
poor; found it the two-edged sword of craft
and oppression, left it the staff of honesty
and the shield of innocence"
Honest politics means progressive meas
ures, progressive methods mean a strength
ened Democracy, and Democracy has been
desired from the first moment the human
intellect craved power. 1t delares its his
tory everywhere. Time has brought about
the. great changes of nations, forced by this
element, and 1T has been the basis of all
States 1t inspired Romulus to lay the foun-
dation of the seven-hilled city thence Theseus
performed his feats of valor in the wild
Hellenic forest; it gave to the wild black
raven OF the Northern sea king the right TO
flap his wings over the Danube, the Rhine,
the Baltic, the continents of Europe, and
the islands of the sea; impelled by Democ-
racy the Venetii found their mighty dams
upon the mud and rushes of the Adriatic,
and piloted by the same genius the May
flower cast anchor at Plymouth Rock, hav-
ing on board the seeds of democracies to
shake one world and build another.
Whether we survey it in the Grecian
history, with its Persian or Lacedemonian
struggles; or in Rome, with it's legions out
poured over the earth; or in the heroism of
Regulus or the perfdity of Cesar; or in the
foods Of inscursionary Teutons; or in the
agricultural tribes of Eastern wanderers
pitching their tents in the wilderness; or
lifting its voice amid the intelligence Of
mighty people, proudly daring or hopefully
inspiring, all are but commentaries upon
this great assertive element of human
power.
And as the spirit Of Democracy should
ever be regarded the friend of man, so will
progressive politics make citizenship noble
and confer moral luster and renown upon
humanity.