The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-06-24

The Duty Of the Citizen.
The Courier journal saws in : sermon
preached last sunday. the Rev. DR.. Ham.
ilton said
what resuIts might We expect 70 see
II christians everywhere behaved % cit.
liens worthy Of the gospel Of Christ III
This would follow: That. first. chris
tians' politics would be serious business.
Think what rule means Ia . country like
this. Il means the administration Of
larger interests than were ever intrusted
to any one nation before. Here are
questions OF taxation and currency, a.
iecting every home In the land. Il 10 q
serious matter. Somebody must rule.
Il the virtue OF the republic does not
rule Il the voice Of the republic will.
What shall We say. then. OF christian
men who abstain from duties because
the discharge OF them might involve an
n0yance or loss Of business? They are
doing all they can 10 hand over the re-
sources OF civilization 10 the devil. They
sre traitors to Jesus Christ. DO not tell
me that the vicious elements IN the CON-
munity can rule. They never did, they
never will, II only christian manhood
and christian conscience are aroused.
Political righteousness and social
wrongs are due more 10 the Indifference
OF good men than to the activity Of bad
men. The christian citizen will always
be found ct the polling booth. He will
take trouble to understand the political
situation. He will not be like the null
titude who regard politics as . subject
which any one is qualified 10 act upon
without any previous thought or in
struction. To him politics 10 serious
business because be takes Christ into il.
Politics IL serious business. aud there
has never been time when il was more
necessary that il DO considered serious
"; that is, intelligently, unselfishly, dis
passionstely.
Much is said Of the corruption OF pol
tics, but TO whom is this corruption
due?
First, to those who abstain next to Q
portion OF those who participate.
But even Intelligent men will not deal
intelIigently with political QUESTION:.
They will not inform themselves they
viii not strive to get 1t the facts. they
content themselves with denouncing one
side or both, and refuse to see any differ
ence In practice, In principle or 10 the
tendencies Of the opposing elements.
The hrst duty of every citizen Is To-
vote, the next IL TO vote iutelligently, the
third is TO vote honestly.
These duties cannot be performed
without some trouble, but il they were
performed BY men who consider them
selves good citizens, but who, 10 fact, are
very bad citizens, the power Of evil in
politics would rapidly diminish.
lnpolitics 1t is not always possible for
one 70 find candidate, or . platform en-
tirely satisfactory, but there IL always q
difference sufficient to justify choice.
In politics. o. in other walks Of life.
men do not exactly Is they would. but
the best they can.
Those who stay away and do nothing
are those who are the loudest il their de-
nuncistion Of the way our affairs are
conducted. II DR.. Hamilton's exhorta-
ton could Be beard 10 every pulpit; III
The men addressed from those pulpils
would 60 70 the polls. not occasionally
only. but regularly and systematically.
Il before going to the polls these men
would inform themselves concerning
candidates and issues; IL Ia doing this
they would put aside self-seeking. and
act 90 guardians ofinestimablc property !;
i they realized that this people are solv-
ing. Or failing TO solve problems OF vast
Importance to the human race, and act
under this conception or the importance
OF politics, party contests would take On
new character, and party managers
would DO as anxious to secure the sup
port Of the intelligent, ~ they now are
10 secure that Of the ignorant voters.
Temporary Chairman Owens Adj
dress.
William c. Owens, after being elected
% temporary chs!rman or the Demo-
r~o4fo