Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1896-11-19
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sOnE RAnBLlNo THOUGHTS
BY MEMO

sOnE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
BY 'SEMo."
/ (Copyrigeted.)
These Thoughts" by a layman are read in
4 quarter of million homes. scattered in every.
State of the Union. N this county they will be
found week by week in the columns of this
paper only. as we have made arrangements
with the author for their exclusive publication.)
In many States of the Union there
are at this moment men rubbing
their political eyes to discover IL
they are really awake, and that 1t 10
a fact worthless, selfish So-and-So
is elected to the Legislature or to
to Congress" Let me tell you good
men some truths! You will listen,
for none ought to love freedom and
sound sense more heartily than you.
Vote-sellers and political tramps are
not like you; they are out for plum
der, but you earnestly desire the
prosperity OF the whole country.
Yes. you do; in your mind, and it
goes no further.
*x*
| The initial thought for you this
week is that it appears far easier to
maintain a monarchy In efficient
strength than a Republic. The self
same cause that permits the MAIN
tenance of a nuisance in the heart of
a town operates to make the per-
petuation of true Liberty by true
men a difficult thing; "everybody's
business is nobody's business" The
modern royal figurehead knows his
part. He sees to 1t that evils which
threaten the continued power of the
reigning house are looked into and
improved away; and from such
motives do we have to record most
grand progress, municipal and indi-
vidual. in kingly realms The wise
ruler buttresses his throne with the
hearts of his people. KinRships are
not by any means SO medieval as
some of us think.
But the royal man, the self-govern-
ing equal man of every other in q
Republic is not half SO watchful. Il
mingle with strong ones from day
to day; good, clcar-headed business
men, but wretched citizens. They
raise the hands In depreciation and
call politics corrupt, they chime in
with that lean and lank ex-senator
from Kansas, and agree that 1.-THE
publication of the filthy pool OF
practical politics is an iridescent
dream" they pass the blame along
to the next man, as did the individ
uals In Thomas Nast's famous car
toOn of Boss Tweed and his minions:
all stood in a ring and each one
jerked a thumb toward bis neighbor
to blame him. To find the beginning
or the end of the wrong in such a
group is as difficult as to prove
where Ia the starting point of circle.
II a word is said about the dangers
that must arise from having pur-
chasable legislators in State Capitols
and at Washington, the shoulders
are shrugged and "How can help
it?' is said.
j have always admired, since i
knew what real manhood was, that
old Bible character, Nathan, the
phophet. He cornered Gods anoin-
ted, trumped up a hypothetical
story about a eve lamb, reused the
kings ire against the wOlfish ways
Of the rich man, and then turned on
him like a flash, with anger and
menace in his prophetic face. saying,
Thou art the mani" Does it need
a wordy trap to- catch the ears and
touch the consciences of our Davids?
, Shall we liken our country to a
citadel besieged by evil, as all good
things always are; surrounded by
miners and sappers who under
handedly throw down it's walls In
order that license may march over
liberty and trample our dear one
under foot? Then shall we tell oi
some one within the walls who il
seen to crawl to the ramparts and
make signals to the besiegers? But
not alone that; at a fateful moment
ut dppTOuCHCB tuC gaze WIN q hCs
i'm his hand to let death and disaster
have free course and be satisfied
among us. You Davids. you king
let's, what shall be done to the trai
tor? Let him be MANNED; let wild
. horses tear him asunder, that al
= the people may fear to do evil ant
+, seek to do good ]! 1t shall be done
but Thou that judgest are the man
Il ss"
II you raise only your voice OF
high to denounce evil, do you .thinl
evil men fear you and shake In thei
shoes any more than they do at
capful of wind? Words and work
must go together: blowing of truu
pets and shoutings shake down n
strongholds in these days: beating
of tom-toms drive out no diseases
Our political evils are no Skin
troubles to be gently rubbed ava
with almond-water and glycerin,
They go deeper than that, and dow
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