The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-09

nation expects them to devote nronertv
and life, If need be, to her defense. AMI
that they must regard the integrity of
the state as their peculiar care. B.t the
possible danger which turks in teaching
patriotism primarily by means of this
beautiful symbol is that it encourages
the pupil to look for an international
rather than domestic field wherein to
display his devotion. When Spanish
mob, incensed by what it considers bitter
proyocation, tears the stars and stripes
In pieces, or an Irish poet sings Of
abastard freedom and "fustian flag"
he is duly rouss1. The flag seelps to
him to have been Immediately and
grossly iusulted and he resents the L.
suit: but so long as it waves undis-
turbed by any hostile hand or hooking
word, be ia tempted to feel that it Ia safe
even though corruption, greed and parti
sapship bear sway under issvery shadow.
he is SO convinced that where the sign is
berately,iishonored the thing SIGNED.
must be insulted as to take for granted
the wholly different proposition that SO
long as the flag is outWardlY respected
the state must be secure.
Under scaroely any form of govern
ment can this fallacy produce more
lamentable results than IN great. repub,
lie. 1t was long since wisely observed
that "the danger to a small republic
comes from without; to great republic
IL comes from within" Indeed, any one
who reads the "Knights'' of Aristo-
nbenes must be struck with the cogent
application of it's sarcasm to latter day
politics. Mutatis mutandis, Cjeon and
the Sausage seller are with us sulll. striv-
ing as hest they may to outbld each other
in the favor of Demonstrating small
account, to be sure, of what Demos
really needs but fertile in devices for
pleasing his ear, tickling bis palate,
Fostering his self-love and befoggiUg
his Judgment Now, as then, too, each
In prodigal of protestations that Ee ana
he alone is truly loyal to the good name
Of his master. and that II demos Will
into his keeping he will give especial at
tentiou to it's social dignity and influ-
ence among the neighbors One remem-
BERG the eulogy upon Gel. Yell OF Yell
willie. "thau though it was true his books
did not balance, none could douhG that
his heart beat warmly Tor his native
land" 1t serves to remind us that the
deepar mans hands go into the publio
pocket the lou der may become his vocif-
erations of devotion to the flag, and the
hercer his indignation against any who
NAV insult it, Nothing, indeed, can
suit his purposes better than to foster
worship If tine sign SO blind and fatuous
as to brand rs unpatri0tic all inquiry
into the reality signifted.
It il matter of commonest experience
that the higher the moral quality Of any
emotion, sentiment, or theory OF life,
the more dangerous the husk of it IL
likely to prove when emptied of ethical
content. There is distinct tendency in
some quarters today to treat everything
AS glorious which the flag can be made
to cover, and TO denounce as unpatriotlc
ali critical inquiry into the real ethical
conditions of national life. The mass
of A mericans have yet to realize thai
patriotism is less an impulse than duty
an that the man who makes most search
ing inquisition into the failings and
possible iniquities that mar our public
life, pleading for simple, imam biguous
public speech, and the sternest and most
uncompromising integrity in public act,
may prove to be II truer patriot than he
whose love of country never goes beyond
the flag, which he bespatters with tawdr5
adjectives, and degrades by meaningless
ly Haunting it in the face of sister
nations.