The sun., 1897-02-22
RULE OF PLAIN AMERICANS
PLATT'S PASTORS SERMON TO THB
SONS or THE RETOLCTION

"Thc Average Man who. By Personal Encrsy.
Forces Hi- Way to the Top. u the Wa.
who BclonE- There "-nemarks About the
Divine Right OF kiBgS-,ud MuEwunps-
A special service was held yesterday afternoon
at the Collegiate Church, which Mr. Thomas @.
Plat attends. Tor the New York Sons OF the
Revolution. The church was decorated with the
Stars and Stripos and the yellow and blue colors
OF the society. There were present delegations
from the Daughters OF the Revolution, Colonial
Danes, Society OF 1912. Aztec Club Of iek7,
Colonial Wars, Loyal Legion and the Society OF
Foreign Wars. Talbot Olyphant was the Chair
man Of the committee in charge Of the service.
fic was assisted by Frederick II. Brooks, Banycy
Garrison. Frederick $. Woodruff. John DuFais,
and Rcynold Webb Wilcox.
The Rev. DR.. Morgan Dix the Rev. George r.
Van DE Water, the Rev. George Alexander. the
Rev. Brockholst Morgan. the Rev. John Lewis
Clark and the Rev. Alfred r. Myers occupied
seats in the chanCcl and each read part OF the
service Because OF the Illness OF Rev. DIR. Bur
/ nell. who is home with cold. his sermon was
read hy his assistant. the Rev. Mr.. Myers.
Tho theme OF DIR. Burrcls discourse was
"Citizen George Washington
These arc the essential parts OF It: George
Washington Is entitled TO prcsminenco. because
he was distinctly man OF the people. His
No segment Of his character Is far above medi-
ocrity. but the circumference is perfect. This u
the ideal In American citizenship. And because
our hero stood splcndidly for that ideal hs
was pushed to the front as citizen George
Washington
I'VE rciormcrs' arc apt to forget this thing.
The rule OF the best is our ambition. but popular
sovereignty means the rule not OF the best, but
, OF the average. Let us spare our lamentations
All goes well. Vox populi, vox del. Tho coun-
| try IL safer in the hands OF John Plowman than
in those o. the most select olisarchy. Reform
! ers must take their places and WELD their lnnu-
enccs in the rank and fle. The rule OF tn, best
has ruined all the alleged rspublics OF history.
Abrnhnm Lincoln said. Have faith in the peo-
pie In any case. whether We like IL or not. that
| Is the theory OF onr Government For want oE
/ apprcciatiny II reiormers become pessimista.
! scold-, Level down is the word and level up y
the word and strike the average Is the secret OF
! our political life. As long as the average man
is true TO his responsibilities. God reigns and the
| country IL safe.
rulers and magisiratesl Shall they be SKINNED
from the top J. Not II representative govern
ment Is wise. The average man can best repro.
/ sent the people In point OF fact our rulers and
! magistrate ns, from George Washington TO Will
/ liam MCKINLEY. and from the White House TO
| those who boast their millions, wear university
honors, and delight themselves in the shadow OF
venerable family trees verify they have their
reward. but not in political preiermcnt. Wash
/ ing;on the farmer, lincoln the rail splitter,
/ Grant the tanner. that IL the way democracy
works itself out. The village blacksmith is the
STUD that sound government is made OF.
| The refurmcr is in danger OF losing both his
! philosophy and his temper Because he cannot
| agree with current political methods he con-
! cludcs the system is bad. and because his con-
freres not at the helm, the ship Is little better
| than nes. Of pirates His vocabulary Is made
| qunte to n Just characterization OF politics and
| politicians.
Not one OF your public men has escaped the
J tongue OF wel.meaninR calumny George w ash
! ington. during his administration OF public af-
! fairs, was charged with lying. malleasance in
/ Office. and misLppropriaton OF the public funds.
II il easy to see through the years the injustice
OF II all, but surely there is lesson for us. Who
, among our public functionarics has escaped tho
bitterness ot partisan passion J IL what we hear
/ Is true they have all gone astray and wrought
/ wickedness: there is none that doeth good. no,
! not one. By long persistence in this SORT OF
J judgment We have succeeded at length in max
I ing politics so disrcputable that selfrespccting
gentlemen are 10th TO have anything to do
! with IL.
"TAc whole method res's on misapprehen-
| sion. There il no such thing as natural leader
! snip. Neither Is u man entitled to IL because he
Il wise. wealthy, or surprisingly pious. The
! average man, who, separating himself from the
mass 10y personal energy and with popular con-
sent. forces his way to the top. is the man who
belongs there. Any other view savors Of The
! divine right OF kings.