Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-12-06

whether these vast sums are being
wisely or honestly used? It means
much to your interest and nine, in
purely financial way, that public bus
mess be discreetly and honestly con-
Quoted, and we certainly should keep
ourselves Informed whether it is.
What comes closer to us than these
right guaranteed us by our citizenship,
and which we place in Jeopardy by the
neglect OF the simplest duties?
but there are higher interests in
volved in citizenship than those of
dollars and cents, though all interests
are so closely related as to be difficult
of separation. Those considered as
purely political are highly important;
and here cur sins of omission are still
greater tran in the domain of bus
mess. | do not ask you to become
statesmen or politicians, but citizens
in the truest sense, when I urge you to
come to an intelligent understanding
of your Obligations. We do not need
political doctrinaries who will theorize
upon the political duties of others, but
citizens who will recognize these du-
ties as personal, and will courageOusly
perform them. A man cannot neglect
his duty to his family without being
an object of reproach; yet by common
consent and participation in the wrong,
we excuse the man VINO ignores his OBJ
legation to the state which protects
him and makes it possible for him to
provide for his family. I know all
this is trite, and you have heard it
gone over repeatedly, but so many
evils flow from this indifference to, or
ignorance of our political obligations,
that it cannot be too severely depre-
Gated, nor touched upon too often.
You who are dissatisfied with the
public service, do you know that the
remedy for the evil lies in your own
hands? You can make politics what
you will. If the people Of this state
generally were to interest themselves
but for a year or two in primary cleo
tions, the whole system of public SER
vice would be revolutionized and all
appolntive offices would be filled on
the basis of competency and fitness,
and the tenure of the incumbents
made to rest upon merit rather than
upon obligations for political service.
! his, gentlemen, is practical civil SER
vice reform. Interest yourselves in
dlvidually in the selection of men for
office and you will soon wipe out what
ever evil there remains of the spoilt
system. There would be nothing to
complain OF in our caucus system if
every citizen would meet the simple
duties which lie before him. No pri-
mary election law can be passed that
will compel citizens to take part in
these elections, and it is well So The
obligation is one that rests on higher
ground than can be invaded by statu-
tory force. 1t is morally certain that
unless good citizens interest them
selves actively in primary elections
and political operations, generally, the
evils resulting from corrupt methods
Will not be abolished. Under our
present system of primary elections
the majority rule, but you can't be
counted as Of the majority unless you
attend the elections.
There is too much OF q disposition
to look to the making of more laws
as the panacea for all the ills that
beset us. But it is of so much greater
Importance, in the narrowest as in the
widest sense, that each man do his
honest duty as citizen. My friends,
what we need is not more laws, but
some method of so stimulating the
conscience of the individual that "a
man will be ashamed not to meet his
political obligations. You may fill
your statute books with all manner Of
reformatory measures some are
needed-but never until you personally
perform those duties which citizenship
have imposed upon you can you secure
the reforms desired. There is no law
or principle which will absolve us from
strict compliance with the duties of
citizenship. 1t is just as true in the
political world as in the field of morals
that whatever work you and I leave
undone will never be performed. I
wish I might impress this upon you
strongly. What we need above all
things, and it is so plainly emphasized
especially in every city election in
this state-is an awakening of the pub
lie conscience upon the subject of cit
lZenship.
1T is patriotism gone mad to sit
cCmplaisantly trusting in the great
ness of our American institutions while
those institutions are being under
mined through our neglect to properly
protect them. [ have no doubt that
the majority of you are keenly alive
to your religious duties, but I am here
to say to you that no man can be truly
religious, no man can be much less
than hypocrite who is devoting him
self to his so-called religious duties
Of citizenship. I am making no mis-
take here. do not wish to detract
any from the Importance of the re-