The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-02-01
PATRIOTISM VS.. PARTNERSHIP.


things and among them the fact that pat
riotism or. love Of country is always bet
ter than partizanship or love of party.
When President Cleveland published his
famous message on the Monroe doctrine
the public men and press Of all parties
were unit in support of him. This fact
will go a great way toward sustaining
the American contention. 1t is we'll
spirit of the American people and press
had great effect upon the attitude Of
England Had the Republican party
Thought it wise to oppose Cleveland as
a. matter of good politics we would not
occupy the position of advantage which
we dc at present
If we could only have some of this
same patriotism infused into the press
and statesmen of the country when deal
ing with internal affairs it would prove
a powerful conservator of the public well
fare: -
T If the intelligent men of this nation
would get right down to business and use
their best reason and allow that reason
to prevail we do not believe that theques-
lions Of taxation and money would be so
difficult to settle. But partianship stiles
not only patriotism but reason some
times deliberately sometimes inyoluntar-
lily.
Self interest is the controlling principle
in partfanship which prevents wise and
united action. There must be basis Of
taxation and currency which for this
country would be better than any other
and the reason the controlling influences
differ so widely as to what that basis is
must be located in self interest.
IT is well known that men and newspa-
pers often trim their politics and beliefs
to suit the locality. This is partianship
running wild. There can be little doubt
that if the press Of the country had united
in a demand upon the Supreme Court to
sustain the Income Tax law when it was
apparent that the tax was necessary to
sustain the public credit, the law would
not have been declared unconstitutional.
But in. this case partianship prevailed and
the country has to suffer. .. ..,.
Great danger alone can make nations
act honestly and intelligently. Adver-
sity strengthens nations as we'll as in
dividuals A threatened war with Eng
land united the whole American people
except certain preachers who in the name
of civilization and humanity advocate
national dishonur in preference to war,
and the money loaners of New York who
are so closely bound to English interests.
Great danger we believe is the only
thing that can arouse the dominant pat
riotism of the people. 1t may not speak
we'll for our civilization to say that
national calamity is needed to purify the
politics of our country but so it appears.
There are abuses among lis which ordin-
airy methods will not cure. And this fact
is one of the surest evidences that the
time of war is not past War is an awful
thing, but war is preferable to social or
financial thraldom which does not al
low the masses to live and prosper. War
is a great teacher of patriotism and
powerful destroyer Of unwholesome par
tizanship. 1t is to be hoped that the
American people will not. need another
war to teach them patriotism. Yet every
generation of our national existence has
been marked by one. If the past is an
index of the future we cannot say that
the days Of war are past. .- 49,.