The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-08
Is POLITICAL LIFE CoNTAMINAT'
ING?

! clan that serves his country IN times
| of peace for the love of 1t, they all
| figure on the pay, the honor and fame
that comes to them, indeed we have
no leaders of public opinion, they SIM
| ply catch at what they think the dear
y people want and lead off that way. We
| are all selfish mortals looking first at
| what will benefit us, then we may give
our country a little consideration. Mr..
| ingalls, in his lectures said, that
! George Washington had the locating
| al Washington City, that he located IT
/ near his farm and that he was land
| boomer Indeed we have never taken
| a great deal of stock in George, the
| Ratchet and cherry tree.
seXNe need statesmen of character
who are moral and sober. We need
men to lead and blaze out the way, not
mere offiee-seekers.
This is very dark and dismal pic
ture. Is it true? Are there no polltl-
clans who ''serve their country for the
love of it?" Are we "all selfish mortals
/ looking at what will benefit u.s. first?
Is the estimate of ingalls, correct? Are
we to discard the moral of the youth
full Washington's devotion to truth?
Have we fallen upon days when there
is an absence of craftsmanship?
We cannot take SO gloomy view.
| While there is a plethora of dema-
gogues and a host of evils and wrongs
that cry out for reformation, we be-
/ lieye that the world is not worse but
Better; and that these very conflicts
and dangers 90 more to show the bet
/ ter thought in the masses than any
| thing else. There has never been a
time when peace could not be pur-
| chased at a sacrifice of principle. The
contest for equality in legislation and
a fair chance is more accentuated to-
day than ever in the past, not so much
because the evils are greater, but be-
cause more men and women have come
up to the plane where they know their
rights and dare battle for them.
There wouldn't be a ripple on the
political surface to-day if the mass OF
mankind would quietly submit as did
their ancestors to the monopolization
by the few of all the benefits of govern
ment, and permit the money-changers
to dictate the financial and taxing
policy of nations as they have done for
their own benefit during most of the
history of the world.
"Demagogue' is the epithet that was
hurled at jefferson and Jackson when
they stood against the dictation of the
money lenders and bankers. ''Dema-
gogue'' was the word used by those he
exposed to describe the great Vance.
1t is the fayorite method Of stabbing
cause of the people. There is no more
contemplate character than the dema-
gogue, unless it be the sycophantic
toadies Of wealth. 1T is the last who
most freely seek to brand true men
as demagogues.
No; the world is getting better. The
demagogues rise and flourish for a day
and go down in blacklist night There
are real statesmen to-day, perhaps
more than in any other decade Of the
world. There is more disinterested
public spirit The life Of Washington
still exefts, as 1T ever viii, potent in
fiience in the uplifting OF men and
women who reject the skepticism that
has dwarfed Ingalls, and scared the
conscience of those who follow his de-
basing utterances. 1T is difficult to
hold to this view when near at hand
our vision is INSTRUCTED by the meteor
like success of blatant demagogoues
and destroyers of the peoples faith.
But those who look beyond the vision
OF the natural eye see that though
they go up like a rocket they come
down like stick. and that men OF
character and principle retain their
hold upon the respect of the people, if,
for time, their influence seems de-
stroyed.
Let us not lose faith in our fellows.
1t is the first step to failure and to
hopeless disaster Most men are hon
est Most public men are true to their
trusts In day like this Of great
unrest there is more evidence Of
lapses, but this period Of depression
and agnosticism cannot endure. 1t is
but an eruption on the body polite,
and will pass away. Not only are the
minds Of men broadening" but their
moral purpose is stronger than ever.
THE STORY OF AARON.