Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-08-27
Don't Quarrel About Politics.
tChicago Herald)

have been friends for three long
years fall out about nothing and
quarrel all summer. This is the
season when Brown introduces his
friend to Robinson, and adds, dar-
ing to be playful, "Good fellow, but
he's Republican" Whereat
Robinson, who also favors that
party, retorts, "Well, / wouldn't be
Democrat for money" And the
seeds of dissension are planted. In
two minutes they are foes. In half
an hour they are burning their hearts
with anger. This is the season
when women snub each other be-
cause their husbands cannot see the
tariff from similar points of view,
and small boys come out of the
swimming hole to fight like tiger
cats because their "boughten" badges
differ. This is the season when
simple, honest men, who nurse their
politics and love it as a Turk loves
war, draw far away from members
Of opposing parties and shut their
eyes to virtues patent as the sun but
yesterday. These are the times
when many people act with exceed.
ing foolishness.
Working politicians know better.
They look on innocent voters AZ SO
many little engines, whose hearts
are furnaces in which a fire may be
kindled to raise a power inviucible
on election day. They care little
enough for the breast in which their
blazes rise, but care less still how
base the fuel with which they feed
the flame. They are broad gauge
men themselves and hobnob daily
with political opponents. Yet they
urge each follower to forget the
good he knew in other men and
hate them with a hatred which shall
blind the eyes and stop the ears and
dull the understanding to anything
but party worship. They ride about
the country and spread the haYoc
of a mad intolerance, then laugh at
home because the silly voters who
never hoped nor asked for Office
are SO devotedly in earnest. All
over the country to-day is the be-
ginning of a pestilence of hate.
Democ. ats are expected to loathe
the leading and all other candidates
of the opposition and to think and
dream and talk of nothing else be-
yond their Infamous demand for
power they will certainly abuse.
And Republicans are stirred to
hunger and thirst for terms of
venomous abuse to heap on every
member of the creed political that
differs from their own A good
Democrat is expected to believe
that Harrison is a churlish cur,
painting to prove his loyalty to
proud monopolists, and madly bent
on killing off the last poor vestige
of commercial freedom. And
loyal Republican must do no less
than VOW old Cleveland is fat
wit knave whose sworn allegiance
is to forces bent on his nations
ruin.
But both are wrong. This is the
grandest country in the world. This
is the greatest nation ever the sun
shone on. 1t is far too wise and
powerful to permit any policy to
sink it in disaster. 1t will live in
growing spIendor under its starry
flag long after the Democratic lead
ers Of to-day are dead, long after
Republican propl is are forgotten.
1t is greater than any party, superior
to any policy, inyulnerable to any
sweep Of desolation its foes could
send against it.
And it has no foes. Do you sup
pose the men of either party would
aim one blow at good Columbia's
breast? What could they gam by
it? Have they not interests now
greater than any they could hope
for in a land blasted with ruin and
bowling through the horrors Of a
national collapse? Look at the men
about you. You knew them last
ovI 49,, r,rgry 1.11I .s4yvZr.