Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-04-20
FAST DLY sgRI0I
o. RsT. RI. Gina

Of Rev. I. /. CHA
Psoscbed at IL un1ou 0asv1oe =
usisasian chasch. Assusts, Ann
18Th, 1891
IAN ihea better than popsisss Nos
geksa M.
Following . tims honored cus,om ~
Fss. day We shall speak Of personsi eha,.
scser in ito bsafing on national life, n
the Nation be ssked Art thou better thar
Nor the citizen must answer. The bett =
fortune Of the whole mnst be predicted b.
the better character Of the parts. Lat n
see,-she Roman republic vas great 70 TIE
lsss, IL persisted not by weskoess but by
committing its strength to those vho
enslsvsd is. The Empire vas samson ,ulI.
though Sampson in bonds. The story fssciu-
sses us, Of people rising in the msissty Of
Inherent superiority, absorbing kindred
tribes. sssimulssins the inferior and i'm
parting its own character. Rssissins
through all The mos. formidable invadsrs.
oil the while maintaining it, own liberty.
A nation Of soldiers, fighting ito own bat
ties, forging by actual experience. mil..
sary science, and jufispfu ieaes q people
victorious because self possessed, capable
Of unfaitefina obedience, and perfect cohe-
sion and instant vslor. II developed q
character whose greatness survived itself
When the last hour Of Rome was striking.
the old patricisns q. outside their palace
walls, calmly awaiting the inevitable
stroke. The fierce gigantic Norsemsn in
full career, with upIiftsd battle AZ, sees
them here, 20 venerable, calm, dignined
and beautiful 10 their whole aspect. tbst
they wildly clutch each Others slseves.
Ia supeYsiitious fear - they
ssksd 'Art thou Gods menf-
How fell the republic3 The i'm.
mediate cause 10 paipable. The best
citizens were too supine to fight desposic
msjorities or defls themselves with cor
rupt psrtlzsns. They allowed . certain
class extraordinary powers enabling the
holders Of them TO rise above the Iaws.'
These were eminent generals; at first there
we're many their authority was temporary
aad limited. At last 1t was invested 10
three absolute dietstors until Cusay
expired atone.
We have no time TO show how public
spiri, declined. The steps from q sincere
religious democracy, to an absolute worldly
monarchy. We simply point to the fact.
and ask: SIS ours better than theirs? l,
our polite II system 30 administered that we
can reckon on . different future?r In reply
We must recognize the fact that power
sl.sys tends to contraction and centralixs-
ton, and that 'ali the conditions exist for
producing class Of men especially
devoted to politics And to earning
their livelihood BY 1t. Everything depends
on the character Of that class for eli pro
fe.ional bodies develop . special mora,
code less exaoting than that Of society At
large. The safety Of the State depends
on the degree Of virtue, on the kind OF
character they recognize a. binding on
themselves. SO long - they are genuine
in thei, professions, earnest In their patri-
otism and faithful in their special duty, so
long the people is better governed, than
II, the whole nation rule itself, ct first
hand. like town, by Its annual meeting
There is no truer fact, than that our public
men as class compare fsvorAbly and more
than favorsbly with those Of any other
nation, for ability. private morality devoto-
ton TO public duty. sstute management,
manly courtesy and patriotism, while a,
the same time they are free from sffscts-
ton and love Of display.
But there is an evil leaven. Oar safety
lies in the fact that il is easily detected
And representatives must be chosen from
their own locality, therefore we send Them.
PsrnelPs real character may have been un-
kaoxn 10 his constituency. Here, IL q bad
man is sent TO the capitol often, his friends
are responsible although it needs no great
familiarity to know the danger sort of
representatives His little seif-subordinat-
ing haueIy. volubility. reckless psrtizAn-
ship. beuay him. lie nsrer Judges a
question on is merits. Whether il be
slavery or money, OF tho Chinese
question-he asks. rs it wanted?
Will it make votes? Such questions should
be asked. but not solely. IS to prohibition.
The worthy statesman first decides 40 10
his duty and the people in the sight Of
eternal Justice. For this is Gods world.
Expedienoy is an sffront even st the foot
stool of His throne. To decide ones
actions by psltry considerations Of per-
sonsl advantage "shsll get votes?' is as
despicable As If his minister said, "Will
il pay TO speak the ruth2'
Nov he and every travelled man knows
that the drink question in America must be
decided on its own evidence. As . matter
of fact drinkers do not drink here as there.
Drink has rot the same effect. Leaving
aide moral issues IL is socially Q furtive.
dismal dangerous thing; each man is
afraid the other will go TOO far or injure
himself, L. iss melancholy Establishment.
II virtue did not require abstinence out
nerves do. The climate was made for
ttotslers. as mayor Of Montreal said 10
me The garris On wears its red jackets the
fret WATER and drinks everything, the
second 1t wears ils overeoat and drinks next
to nothing
Legislation on the subject is delicate.
intricate task. You csn't draft temper
suce laws as the Empero, Nicholas designed
. railroad by Craving a straight line across
the continent from St. Petersburg to Sevas-
topol.
The engine driver had better be left
alone. told where we want to go aud how
quickly, while we sit resigned ia the pas
senger car. There il no Insurance in ams-
teur meddiing. The bad politician never
cares for temperance, only for votes. He
torgets in talking to his friends the Clergy,
a. hs calls US. that h. has to meet his
friends the saloon keepers. He is engaged
in game of fence. The game of influence
throwing. They remind You Of confidence
men, they are so gracious, 50 uncompromis'
ing sometimes, so energetic. yet so insincere
and selfseeking. They give you what you
ask although they know il is not what you
want, they want il, do they, 10 the remark
to their confe3erates I've will give thsm
more than enough, as If they made prohib-
itory laws as a punishment or 10 bring swift
repeal. To such pass have these cham
pions come "
Let us glance 1T them in an imaginary
state where prohibition is established. All
that is clean, sober, honssr, sincere in the
State demands that the legislstion likely to
be most eff sctive shall be supported aud rat
lied. Now il ever, men were in position
to command support, they, the law makers,
are in this case. The people generally are
- anxious IS ever for sbstinence-they see
dfuukness prevailing in spite Of all that has
been doue-they cry out for help, the can
ee' still gro's, they cry for Law. any
thtog 50 that it is something that
saves. oar sons are in A. great danger
10 Maiue-no, I should have said their sons,
in Africa ~ /, Europe. Where 10 the reason
Of this Inefficient government
The patriotic statesman knows where the
hindrsnce to the efficiency of law lies. He
sees Why the best popular opinion is indif-
ferent. Therefore he recommends adjust
ing laws to the mature sense Of the people
HIS class i, the doctor. The patient
may tell him bis symptoms, yet he must
diagnose the case; the patient may clAmor
for more Of the old medicine. but he