St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-12-24
"THE STRONG NAN"

Heroworship is well if it simply
means sincere admiration for noble
qualities; but it is misleading in the
highest degree if it causes us to trust
for great results to the action of this
or that masterful individuality. To-
dav the common sense of most" is
the most potent factor in all social
and political progress, and no man is
wise who does not bear this in mind.
There is ample scope still for the ex-
ercise of the highest moral and intel
lectual qualities, and the true hero
NAV yet win the admira ton and
gratitude of society; only. what is
required is that he should know the
structure and laws of the society in
which he lives, and seek rather to
give the best expression to the ten
denotes of the time than to impose his
own individuality on his contempor-
aries. Only he who, in a profound
sense, obeys possesses the secret of
rule. The times are favorable, we
think, for the presentation of new
political ideals. Strong men Of the
old type, iron-handed warriors, and
stern legislators, are out of date; on
the other hand, the want of firmness
and principle in connection with
political affairs was never more con-
spicuous. We want new race Of
strong men in whom the gamester
element shall be wholly absent, and
who shall aim to accomplish their
ends not by personal tours de force,
nor yet by craft and flattery, but by
steady adherence to principle, and
pa tient efforts to awaken the public
to a sense of their true interests. The
strong man of the future will be
strong in knowledge and in social
sympathy; and his strength will be
spent, not in efforts to perpetuate his
personal ascendency, but in efforts
to develop all that is best in the So
ciety of the time. The true strong
man as we conceive him will have no
greed for power; his greed, if such it
may be called, will be for usefulness;
and he will show his strength by his
Willingness to retire at any moment
from public to a private position
rather than prove unfaithful to his
convictions or do anything I'M
worthy of man of honor Strictly
speaking, a man who with adequate
knowledge and intelligence tries faith
fully to serve the public can never be
obscure, though Offices should not
seek him nor caucuses make mention
of his name. The public at large will
recognize and honor his efforts, and
his influence may be greater in pri-
vate station than that of score of
average legislators. We do not,
however, look to our educa tiOnal
institutions to do much to develop
this new type of citizen; we trust
rather to general educa tive influences
that are abroad in the world We
trust, we may say, in considerable
degree to such writings as those of
Mr.. Spencer, instinct as they are
with noble views of liberty and of
justice, and conveying at the same
time clear and enlightened ideas re-
garding the nature and functions of
the state. 1t is possible that private
associations for the purpose of caus-
ing more intelligent views of citizen
ship and its duties TO prevail might
accomplish very good work; and we
hope that something may be at
tempted in this way in connection
with the University Extension move
ment which is now making so salts
factory progress. We certainly do
not at this moment know of any
more useful work in which an intelli-