The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-09-05
HOW THE DHMAeoGUE rHRlvBs.
From the Emporia Republican.

From the Emporia Republican.
1t is human nature to shift blame from
ones own to other shoulders. 1t man
finds himself In trouble he Is prone to
look about for the causes outside OF nlm-
self, and to regard himself as the victim
of injustice or misfortune. As large
proportion of the worlds population are
sufferers. the spirit of complaint is uni.
versally prevalent. It is this disposition
of humanity upon which demagogues
feed and thrive In locating the respon-
sibility for their wretchedness, people
| like to have the counsel and assistance
of others. 1t is here that the demagogue
steps in and says: "You are the victim
of misrule; the government is corruptly
administered, legislation is controlled by
the rich few to your detriment. What
you need is reform in public affairs.
| Overthrow the corrupt rings now IN
power, turn the rascals out, put honest
men like myself in charge of your affairs
and you will be forever prosperous and
happy"
1t is not difficult to persuade the aver
age malcontent that he is blameless of
his own misfortunes Although he could,
if he would, trace his troubles IN most
cases to some act or acts of folly or mis-
judgment committed by himself, yet he
is more than ready to look beyond these
to some other cause which the demagogue
points out as the source of his woes. 1t
serves the demagogue's purpose to create
dissatisfaction with those who fill the
public offices, in order that change
may be brought about from which he
may profit. All popular ills are therefore
charged up to bad legislation and bad
government. So common has this become
that men now attribute almost every kind
of evil to political misrule; and the tend
ency is growing. 1t will not be long till
Affections like measles and whooping
cough will be laid up against the party
in power, and when an individual is
seized with toothaohe he viii hold the
government responsible. Bright's dis
ease will be charged to wrong financial
policy, and spinal weakness to high
protective tariff.
The truth is our troubles are mostly
self-imposed, or are the result of inner
tied or other conditions over which no
party or official has control. Men who
deliberately go into debt with the ex-
peCtation of being able to pay out, take
risks Just as the men do who buy bonds
or stocks in the hope that they will ap-
preciate in value. They ''bank" upon
future good crops, or coming good
profits in the cattle trade or some sim
liar business success that will enable
them to weather through. If things
turn out favorably they are all right
and give great credit to their business
sagacity and foresight; if things go
wrong-if several bad crop seasons sue
ceed each other, or big crops abroad
force prices down, and they find them
selves seriously embarrassed-they
should shoulder the responsibility like
men, and resolve to do better in the
future.
Do not listen to the demagogue.
When he tells you that your own errors
or bad luck is the fault of the govern
ment, tell him to go soak his head, or
give him to understand in less slangy
language that you are not the fool he
takes yon for. The wild schemes he
proposes for your good would, if put
into execution, do you thousand times
more harm than any legislation now
upon the statute books, against which
he has taught you to complain SO bitterly.