The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-07-02
CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
A Book Whose Merit Calls Forth Most
Favorable Criticism From
Educators.

Pope wrote the often quoted line
THE proper study Of mankind Is man"
No one has written, so far as our notice
has extended: The proper study of oiti-
ems is citizenship" 1t has not the
rhythm of the other aphorism, but 1t is
as broadly true. The citizen, as citizen,
owes an imperative duty to his ooun-
try, that he understand it, that he know
its history, comprehend its government
and public institutions, have an abiding
knowledge of the great fundamental law
of the Nation and the State; POSSESS a
keen appreciation of his true relation to
his fellow citizens, especially to those who,
for the time, are, entrusted with the su-
preme duty Of administering the affairs
Of state.
There are many farces played during
the acting of the great drama Of freedom,
and for an illustration we need not
travel far. We have seen men take the
oath "to support the constitution of the
United States and of the State Of Ohio" /"
who had never read either document.
Another, more startling than the first
this fall, the electors of Ohio are to say yes
or no to a vital question. Shall we have,
or rather, shall we not have,a convention
TO form new constitutions OF course
that implies more or less radical revision
of our present constitution; the old
would, of necessity, be the basis of the
new. II we have such convention, the
electors will have another duty whose
gravity might we'll make one serious.
They will decide whether the work of
that convention shall be the base of our
State government, the touohstone of all
our laws. for at least two decades.
What per cent Of those who shall vote up
on these questions have an intimate
acquaintance with the constitution un-
der which we now liveY What per cent.
will march, or ride, or be led, to the polls
to give their voice as to whether an un.
known instrument should not be
changed? What per cent, will vote yea
or nay upon the new instrument without
reading it?
OF course, numerical answers to these
queries cannot be given, but they sug-
gest a state of things which calls for a
change. If ship in storm is to have
her course directed by vote of the pas
sengers {and crew, all who wish, with
old Gonzslo, "to die a dry DEATH" would
pray their fellows to study the chart and
sailing directions.
Our constitutions, National and
State and general laws, are our chart,
and sailing directions, and their study is
Civil Governmental branch Of know
ledge Of great interest as we'll as Of vital
Importance. II should be pursued by the
young at school, and by the older at
home.
The most recent and very much the
most practical book upon this subject that
has come to our notice is the Ohio edi-
ton OF Peterman's Elements of Civil
Government. The book, as originally
written, is a treatise upon the life of man
in communities, brief commentary on
our national constitution, and descrip-
tion of our Fedora ! Government The
supplement gives, first, what the writer
calls the Foundations of Ohio, the his
torio happenings which made Ohio as a
sovereign State in the American Union,
possibility. There is very clear,
though necessarily very short study of the
constitution of Ohio and the form of our
state, county, township, and city gov
ernments. Probably the most novel part
of the book is brief chaper on "Object
Lessons in Government" followed by a
pen picture entitled "a Good Citizen. I"
These pages would be good reading foi
any day in the year, and especially for
these piping times of politics. The pro-
per study of citizen is citizenship.
n O.