The herald., 1897-07-04


of antiquity and the middle ages were
engulfed? In the rise decline and fall
of our American Union of States will
history simply repeat itself? These are
questions occupying the serious atten-
tion of thoughtful men. The days of
prophecy are over, however. and 1t is
given to neither the wisest nor most
learned to forecast the future. 1t may
be that the portentous signs Of the times
are more Of mirage than signs of coming
events cast by long continued business
depression, and that a return of pros
perity would at once clear our social and
political skies. Heartily all of US join in
the chorus.
'sail on. o. Ship of State!
Sail on. o, Union! Strong and great!
In spite of rock and tempest roar.
In spite of false Lights on the shore,
Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea!
Our hearts, our hopes. our prayers. our
tears,
Our faith triumphant o'er our fears.
Are all with thee! Are all with thee"
Nevertheless, 1t would not become
Americans to assume in the presence Of
danger the role of the optimist and put
their trust in the policy of laissez faire.
Instead of emulating the immortal
Micawber and waiting "for somethin g
to turn up" the American people should
never forget that they under God hold
in their own hands the destiny of this
country. If disaster should overtake
the American Union and all that term
implies, the fault will be our own. If
the people of the United States ever lack
either the manhood and intelligence
necessary to safeguard their dearest
political, social and religious institu-
tions, the fault will be theirs. If they
sleep upon their rights" theirs will be
the blame. The common sense logic of
the situation Is that the people must
| give more attention to the actual busi-
| ness of politics; must take out of the
hands of the self-constituted boss"
the organization of nominating conven-
tions, or, if that be hopeless task, avail
themselves Of the admirable provisions
of the Australian election law in put
| ting a "ticket" in nomination of their
own selection. In other words, must
even at this late day perform their
whole political duty as citizens of our
great country.
The chief trouble of the situation con-
sists in the universal and unsuitable de
sire for wealth prevalent among the
great body Of intelligent citizens of the
nation. They have no time for anything
else, and while attending to the demands
of the almighty dollar the country has
fallen into the hands of men who are
running it for all that it is WORTH
men otherwise respectable, but as rule
| shamelessly dishonest in their manip-
| ulation of the machinery of State and
| Federal politics. The result of this ne
glect by the average citizen, of his po-
| litical duties is so patent to every man
| that he who runs may read. The United
| States of today as free, representative,
constitutional government, is menaced
not 80 much by collapse as by the dry
| rot of corruption in high places, the
| paramount allegiance to party. as the
| first and most essential qualification of
craftsmanship, and by open disregard of
| the principles of constitutional democ-
racy, as understood and put in practice
| by our colonial forefathers. The party
| In power,n matter by what name it calls
| itself, is the government. The will
of the party, crystallized incongressional
| legisla ton, is the law of the land. And it
has almost come to pass that only such
laws as the party leaders desire can be
enacted. The people are not counted
with when the exigencies of the time de-
mand legislation. For all this the people
of the United States are directly respon-
| sible. They have themselves to blame.
They, by inaction, by non-user, by sur
rendering their rights as citizens to the
party "boss," by blind adhesion to party
l.. ~
their sacred constitutional right to gov
ern themselves. What is the remedy?
Why, simply a return to first principles
There is no occasion for revolution, none
for the nonsense of anarchy or socialism
Let us glance at fragmentary page of
American history. No name among men
| retains the luster of more enduring I'M
mortality than George Washington His
civic and military achievements need no
monument. Secure in the hearts of men,
| wherever the story of his life is told, is
the fame of the first chief magistrate of
the United States. His countrymen
could pay his memory no higher tribute
than by emulating the virtues which
made his life illustrious. Chief
among these was devotion to
duty--his duty as a man and also as
citizen. Washington was practically
model citizen. 1t was that only less
distinguished Virginian, General Rob-
ert e. Lee, who said: DUTY is the no
blest word in the English language" A
man who, as public servant or private
citizen, obeys the voice of duty, has done
all that may be required of him. This
seems but trite homilisrn, read by the
light of the "get there" trend of modern
thought In the conduction of either so
cial, mercantile or political business
And yet 1t enhances the distinctive fea-
ture characteristic of the sturdy inde-
pendence and moral elevation Of Amer
leans of colonial times-the men whose
valor achieved American independence
and whose intelligent, practical sense
constructed the noble fabric of our Con-
stitutional government. We, their heirs
| to this splendid Inheritance, take 1t up
on the condition that we perform every
duty incident to its normal and perfect
enjoyment. If we fail in this. and we
have already failed largely, the bequest
will be shorn of its benefits in proportion
to our failure, and will eventually be
| lost to us altogether, for 1t Is as true
now as it was of yore, and it ever will be
true, that Whatsoever a man soweth
that shall he also reap"
With what increasing light, as the
years go by. shines that act Of Washing
ton rehuIxine the petlllant r1i<,rilida n re