The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-10-15

lfte
I ant SORT OF paUri0UlBm bnaJ uuus
an easy outlet on the rostrums that is
the staunchest and the best, it is q
stronger and more self-denying pas,
sion.
The vast majority of the people are
patriotic and sound to the core. In
them is our main stay and chief de-
pendence. Our confidence in theil
steady and unaltering love of country
which is indifferent about any show
of itself, and speaks only in its acts
will never be misplaced.
The men who have left the pro
fOundest impress on our history were
not so much distinguished for theil
wealth or their erudition as the quail
ties, or some of them, which distin
guished Grant. These qualities are
essential ingredients of political man
hood, and they are no less useful and
necessary in peace than in war. we
need men possessing them to resist
the aggressions of those who seek tC
make of our politics, both an art and
mystery, ineligible only to the
adept and initiated, who assume
the management of them, by virtue Of
their capacity for the dett and artful
manipulation of their fellows. Their
influence upon the country is corrupt
and debasing, and the area
of political venality constant
ly enlarges under it. According
to their views the whole interest that
any citizen has in municipal, state or
national government is measured by
what he can make out of it. 1t is
worse than idle to shut our eyes to the
existence of corrupt methods and
practices in our politics which
threaten to subvert our free institu-
tions. The people are often cheated
at the polls and in legislation, and
prizes which should be the reward of
honest merit are too frequently be-
slowed upon the cunning and UNI
scrupulous rich. Real freedom is not
enjoyed by the people unless the laws
are enacted by their honestly chosen
representatives and their freedom
of action is as much impaired when
it is corruptly influenced as if
controlled by force. The man who
accepts bride Of any sort places his
conscience and judgment in the vilest
bondage. He is no longer free. Ar
gument is wasted on him. COnsidera-
lions of the public veal or woe do not
affect him. Bayonets at the polls
would not control his conduct more
effectively. And men who contribute
money to buy votes and to bride the
peoples representatives, as well as
those who disburse it, are deadly enc
mics of the republic. Their greed and
love of power is greater than love of
country. They impair popular re-
spect for law, which is the only safe
guard for life and property and
it will be an evil day for the
nation when its preservation de-
ponds upon their patriotism and
courage. They may masquerade in
the garb Of righteousness, and adj
dress the people in the language of
patriotism, but their virtues are
assumed; they are hypocrites and
assassins Of liberty and would well
come dynasty rather than shed
their blood in defense of popular gov
Their shameless and insid-
ious attacks on free institutions are
infinitely more dangerous than the
revolutionary teachings and practices
of a few visionary and misguided men
and women in our large cit
les. 1t is not such men
as these, but the great multitude
engaged in active and hardy pursuits,
who constitute the real strength of
the nation. They are not enemies of
law and order, they do not envy or
hate those who have acquired prop
erty by honest methods, they bear
their full share of the public burdens,
and so long as the powers of the ma
ton are not perverted to their injury
for the enrichment of a few, they will
rally to it's defense with unselfish and
devoted patriotism. Their energy
and courage have not been deadened
by ease and luxury. There can be no
prosperity without public tranquility,
and the people will not long remain
tranquil under a well founded belief
that the corrupt use of money pre-
vents free and honest expression of
their choice of men and measures. If
public opinion cannot be honestly eX-
pressed in authorized ways our cleo
tions will become expensive and use
less mockeries, and free government
will exist only in name. Let us not
be deceived by mere forms. Radical
changes in government may be eff
fected without perceptible change in
the mode of administration. Some so
the worst tyrannies the world hat
ever known were maintained under
popular forms.