Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-05-28


So some men are saying You will re-
menber, some Of you, that there uacd
70 be man NAMED lngals, from Kan.
aas who said The Decalogue and tho |
Golden Rule have no place Ii politi- |
cal campaign. The object is auccess
The qualification OF politics ii an iri-
descent dream. Meanwhile politics
has been purified of Mr.. Ingalls, him
self, for the people concluded that the
man who had outgrown the Decaloguc
and the Golden Rule had outgrown his
usefulness. They we're right, for the
man who does not believe In purity Is
impure; the man who does not believe
In honesty is dishonest the man who
does not believe in truth is liar.
Senator Ingalls, was candid but mis-
taken. There is something to be done.
No man need throw up his bands, and
say. I'VE can't help IT, II there was
nothing for you and me to do | would
moi waste time preaching this sermon.
There is great and effective thing to
BIO done Ii Ia tho application Of right
cous principles to the whole matter OF
politics, and party ties. Render unto
this Caesar the things that are Cnsar's,
and unto God tho things that are
A1Dil " tflNb Afthtl ali tnbb 10 itkili-
mately his. Give him no more. He
has right to something. He has a
proper place 10 fill in our economy, and
a proper function TO discharge. Parties
are neceseity in d republic. Under
any form Of representatives government
parties are essential to the marshaling
and expression OF public opinion. And
| parties being necessary, there must be
~. 49,. al
to represent and direct them. In his
proper place this Caesar is no Caesar,
| but an Indispensable and beneficent
agency. When no forgets his place and
becomes dictator, without principles,
/ then he becomes menace to the right
eous and public nuisance. When
party professions of faith become
empty and meaningless; whore party
leaders are ready to adopt any shibbo-
leth that will VIM when loyalty to a
man takes the place Of loyalty to the
idea he is supposed to represent: when
the Immediate success Of the party, or
q the party leader, is put before the
permanent welfare OF the country
whom men are denied access to primary
elections, unless they will stultify their
manhood by pledging allegiance to n
|
then the time has come to 90 back "a
first principles, and ask, each man fol
himself What ia a party. and what
is my duty to itY' Joseph Cook says
When you arc in a fog, mind youi
definitions II am not mistaken the
time has come for definitions. / sub.
nit few for your consideration
81. A party ia simply part OF The
people, held together in support Of tbs
same or closely related principles. II
is my agent in government. do mo-
belong TO it-rathor, or more rightly, u
| belongs to me, as being the representa-
, tive OF my opinion, the incarnation II
! il, and / have right to dissolve thu
, partnership at my pleasure. II have
20 convictions | can really have M
/ part. If the party has no convictions
/ or no true principles back OF 1t, 1t de
generates into a faction, and faction
) Is u curse instead OF blessing to tn
State. / owe it no allegiance.
! t2. party is not an end in itself
2 but a means to an end. 1t is one o
! the means used by the people In work
ing out their ideal in government
. When it ceases 20 be AN. agency in SO
: curing better government, and set
: itself up as an md to be labored for,
I becomes, not a power leading on t
0 safer and purer government, but
3 brake on tho car of human progress
. Take off the brake.
:. "3 That is q good party which seek
v good ends by proper means.
y "a. That Is bad party which seek
o good ends by bad means, or evil end
by any MEANS. ~ia
o 80. Party allegiance Is zeal or enthu
1 siustn for one party as against another
&c. Party allegiance as zeal for.
y good and worthy purpose, sought to b
( accomplished legitimstely by means {
r party, rs proper and to be commended
+ ~. Party allegiance as zeal f
q party's sake, or for money, or personi
O advantage, or for selfish OF vicious ain
+ through party triumph, la wrong an
|. 10 lie condemned. A party should b
Il porpetuated only for the good it pre-
O poses to do. When it ceases to be
Il power for good when II refuses to mel
Il the wants of the hour, when it dot
o not rise TO just appreciation of publ
!. needs for wise policies, it's work Is dor
G and il should be- put aside. A par
IA that does not represent some righteol
If principle or tendency has no Just clai
Il upon any voter Properly understoC
Il there is 30 such thing as party will
n out principle When it ceases to az
}, vocate some principle, when II becom
l. the mere personal following of son
IN political leader, it becomes a tactic
"a and factions are essentially selfish az
IS harmful. Then it is simply a par
gone to seed--a party afflicted with
l. dry rot. Then no man owes it loyalty
l. respect
" "These definitions, or primary pri
Z cplcs, will help US, / think, to d
@. termine what party really is and ju
what belongs to Caesar or one's part
They should help us to decide be
far man, and especially Christi
man, can go in its support. But !
can determine our duty better st
when we understand what belongs
and is duo from us to God. Wht
then, in public life, and in polite
relations, do we owe to God? This
our final question.
., "You will agree that we owe an
IVY telligent, active interest in pub
Is- affairs. man has no right to be !
en norant Of the science OF government
90 a Republic. A knowledge Of what 60
~ government il, aud how it can be pi
served, Ia the knowledge that is mea
" by the word politics. We cannot
90 the work placed in our hands witho
er a true conception of our relations a
w duties. We must understand that ci
lat zenship involves solemn responsibility
an and patriotic exertions. Our safety ]
~ in a clear appreciation Of the ev
las which beset u.s. To this intelligent
- terest we must add heroic efforts
10 purify and strengthen our commc
ID wealth. In a government such as OF