The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-25

Towards the storied land of Aztec mys-
terry, ere the interester traveller reaches
the waters of the Rio Grande there is
another river less known but far more
beautiful, set in background torn and
convulsed as by Titan struggles, it hur-
ries on its journey to the great river and
the Mexican gulf, secure in .he con-
seriousness that it is one of natures po-
ems. AS it passes through green val
leys where wild deer come, like Narcs-
sus, to gaze into its limpid beauty, it
murmurs song of peace and quietness
but when it cleaves in twain the great
mountains and passes through the rocky
gorges 1t chants an anthem of liberty,
and its dashings in the canons, ,'everber-
ating and re-echoing up the mountain
side reminds one of the Marseilaise III
the hour of victory. On the top of one
of the most picturesque of these rugged
canons where standing on the edge Of
the chasm, the other edge is within II
stones throw, and the river 400 feet be-
low is the treasure house of II tribe of In
dams, probably long since extinct. Great
mounds dot the hillside, containing the
stores of savage wealth piled up by gen
erations of barbaric cupidity. Stone ar
rowheads, rustcd tomahawks and broken
pottery peep here and there out of the
disfigured mounds. Here they buried
their all. Around the sites of their VAN
ished wigwams the cayote trots leisurely
and sleeps where once We're held the
councils of the Sagamores, but This is
not all. If the adventurous boatman
dares to risk the rapids below. looking
upward almost to the crest of the gorge,
he can see painted there by these same
savages pictures Indicative of the names
of mighty chieftains whose fame rested
upon their prowess in battle and their
craft in the forest pictures delineating
their CORY achievements. These paint
ings depict the heroics of barbarism. the
epoch in Il nations development when
its sphere is rapine and its justification
might. Egypt must have had an epoch
of darkness before she could boast an
AleXandrine library. The Greeks must
have had Trojan war before they could
claim a Plato and Demonthenes. The
Jews must have conquered Philistia and
Canaan ere they could erect Il Solomon's
temple. But after an era of vars and
rumOrs of wars, time brings II higher de-
velopment. The old drops off and the
new is assumed; military renown gives
way to civic wisdOwn and the question
becomes, what will make ones country
freer, purer, grander and truer to her
eternal destiny? What will make our
citizens more truly patriotic, more cner-
getic, more honest and more capable of
government. is the greatest question
of modern times.
AS | shall presently show, the infu-
ence in democracy more potent for good
or bad. is that welded by the leaders.
In their hands rest, ultimately, the puri-
ty and conservatism of our national life.
On their morality and intelligence de-
pend in large measure the morality
and intelligence of the people. The evil
nearest the source of all our political
troubles is an unframed, inexperienced
| vascillating and consequently weak
| hooves us to enquire what qualities are
essential to man who aspires to guide
his people into paths of truth and wis
dom. The ordinary type of so-called
leaders is common. The word politician
has become Synonymous with trickery
incompetency and dishonesty; but the
true statesman is man who is trained
in mind experienced in affairs. moderate
| in measures, careful in execution, cOur.
ageous in thought, fearless in expression
and scrupulously honest. Above all
! things leaders must have intelligence
| morality and courage. Leadership is the
backbone of democracy and the highest
grandest. trueSt development of civic
character is the bold. true and ;ndepend-
ent statesman, the man who will not give
up his principle: who, though whipped
| comes up 10 fight again, who lives fol
country and his sacred honor.
This position finds instant Icmonstra.
ton in our government Strange nations
are eXtant concerning the nature of Il
democracy. To some it is watched over
by an omnipotent Providence that ceases
not day or night to guard it from the
dangers to which other governments are
subject. 1t is supposed to be impcrisha.
bic and its existence not dependent either
on the wisdom of leaders, the accidents
of peace or the integrity of public opin-
ion. The press is cXtravagantly demon
strative in its fulsome culogics. and
every speaker in an excess of false pa
triotism thinks it necessary to laud his
people and his nation to the very heav.
ems. Even Bancroft says the change
which Divine Providence ordained and
which no human policy or force could
| withstand. proceeded as uniformly and
majestically as the laws of being and was
as certain as the DEGREES of eternity. y
And again: "'rhe idea of freedom has
never been wholly unknown; its rising
light flashes joy across the darkest cen
turtles and its growing energy can be
ira ICED in the tendency of ages. This
18th of July elouuence is dissipated like
April mists when the student analyses
the situation. A democracy is Il form
of government, nothing else, and has
been so regarded since Aristotle cinssi-
fed governmental arrangements. The
term has Il technical meaning just as the
term monarchy or arstocrcy has, but
all have common aims. common hopes,
common pcrils and common difficulties.
As Il monarchy means the rule of one
over many. so Il democracy means an
inversion of sovereignty; that is. a rule
of the multitude. Not only is Il democ-
racy not the especial charge of Provi-
dencc. but it has peculiar difficulties to
contend with. 1t is the most unstable.
uncertain, unmanageable form of gov
eminent: but because of its features of
liberty and freedom mankind prefers it.
Misconception may lure its victims on to
a laXity of patriotism. thoughtless op-
timism may assure him that the gods
labor eternally for his country. These
may blind his vigilance, and then when
he is bound hand and foot they will
mock him with his nursery fances.
The causes for the complications of
democracy are obvious. In the first
place and at the threshold. we are met
with the difficulty of getting the people
to come to common conclusion on any
subject. They complain of their leaders,
of congress and of the parties and GO
nothing themselves. Their educa.
ton has not been comprehensive
enough to give them an intelligent grasp
of affairs. Each day each has new