The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-09-04
DUTY
A Word Whose Moaning IN should
Understand and Demonstrate.

Word whose Meaning IN should
Understand and Demonstrate.
If there is one word above another
that should at the present time be
correctly interpreted, and its meaning
fully understood, it is the word duty.
OF all the requirements which wait
upon manhood, at the present time
the demand for an intelligent and COM
plete discharge of duty is paramount.
To know ones duty and then perform
it. says the Economist is not only the
crying necessity of the age, but the
one great factor in all future progress.
Cowardice in some form or other is
prevailing sin among the American
people. It has grown to such an ex-
tent as to become the rule instead of
the exception, and to-day the United
States is a nation of towards. Not
physical towards, although there are
many of that kind, but moral towards,
pure and simple. Stand on the street
corner and for every true man that
passes by, carrying with him the
courage OF honest convictions, a thou
sand will pass bearing load of some
species of cowardice. It is the political
coward that outnumbers them all. It
remains for him to take the lead in
cringing servility and abject negation
of all claims to independent manhood.
To such an extent has this condition
grown that the once proud and some
what arrogant American citizen has
become fawning sycophant This
loss of independence and moral recti-
tude can be distinctly traced to the
machine system of politics, which to-
day rules and governs in this country.
1t has stunted all honest efforts, blunt
ed all conscientious scruples, and
brutaiized all fellow feeling among
holders Of official positions. By means
OF false promises, to secure momentary
power, it has built up and brought out
an almost universal desire to hold
Office. To attain this much desired
object combination with those already
in position is necessary, and usefulness
to those above becomes the first step in
the advancement of those below, and
so the self-stultifying programme is
begun, which only ends in physical or
political death. The whole body po-
litic is stricken with this demoralizing
and degrading disease. 1t is met with
everywhere, seen everywhere and per-
vades the entire nation. This con-
dition must be changed, and that at
once, or the future of this country can
be safely predicted. 1t can be done,
but only through education upon a
higher and nobler plane of manhood.
Servility must give way to study, and
a desire for Office to a thirst for knowl-
edge. With this much accomplished,
the balance is comparatively easy.
knowledge begets independence,
which in turn will overthrow die
tation. 1t becomes, therefore, the
duty of the hour to persist in
a proper course of education among
the people. This education must be
carried to completion among the con-
sentative forces first, as there is no
hope of reaching the arrogant and
domineering except through defeat
and disaster. The pile must always
be fired at the bottom instead of the
top to be successful. If these. prem
ises are correct, the duty of every
member of the Alliance is apparent.
1t is not only plainly to be seen but
imperatively to be performed, and de-
mands immediate attention. In the
honest intelligent persistent dis
charge of this duty lies the future i'm
portance and usefulness of the AL
lance, as well as the progress and
perpetuity of the government. Pres
ent conditions are taking away the
rights and privileges of the people,
which must be speedily restored or the
greatest calamities which can over
taks republic awaits in the near fu-
ture. The responsibility of a complete
discharge of duty attaches now to
American citizenship fully as much as
in any period of the nations history.
It is therefore incumbent upon all,
more especially members of the Al
lance, to fearlessly, earnestly and
continually labor for the common
good and perform every duty with
promptness and intelligence.