Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-07-15
The Reformer-Part 5.
From The JebsrSonian, by j. L. LODGE,
D. D., Editor.

DhItle my UuSlueSS anu my ScuIuOH ulSou )
And, with the sworded Switzer l can say,
The best of causes is the best of pay.
Dome.
An ideal is as necessary to a government
as to man; either is worthless without it.
Under a constitution supposed to grant and
defend the freedom OF the individual, the Oh
ject is to secure to him the privilege OF seek
ing happiness and prosperity according to OPP
portunity. Anything like class.l legislation,
which enlarges the privileges of the few
while limiting or destroying the rights of
the many, is oppression. The waving of
banners and the huzzas of benetlciares can
not forever conceal the infamy, nor turn
aside the course of justice whenever it shall
become strong enough to assert itself. While
thousands see the wrong thus inflicted under
the lying pretence OF a just and helpful adj
ministration, ii Is work of exceeding dit
hculty to awaken any large body OF men
to- realization of the only peaceable method
OF overcoming tyranny which clothes itself
in professions of honesty and patriotism.
Reasoning is slow and distasteiul process
to the masses. AS the climax of long con
tinued misrue an oppression Ignition Of
revolutionary flame is sudden and fearful.
The animal may readily be tainted to mad
ness and fury; lack OF that pride, indigna-
ton, and courage which should deliberately
avenge without bloodshed daring political
injustice is presumed upon by majority of
scoundrels. Years ago, Carlyle said: eng
land has thirty millions of people, mostly
FOOLS" Multiply that number by two and
one-half, for England" write U. s., en-
phasize the line with plenitude Of printers
ink, and you will approximate the truth.
The power of the demagogue, as constantly
AnNn NAI nj hnlt
nearly paralyses the intelligent patriot. 1t
Is q perpetual wonder with what ease
he manipulates to his own selfish and
wicked ends the hordes that follow at his
back. The only explanation lies in the
character OF the material upon which he
works; the ignorance, the degradation only
one remove from the brute the cupidity
that hopes for itself through support of the
greed OF its agent; the abjectness of the class
which is fitted only for slavery, loving its
shackles we'll. Even with this explanation,
the speechless surprise remains that some
men once regarded as moderately intelli-
gent should be enticed and deceived by base
adventures not only to keep company with
them, of which in their better days they
would have been ashamed, but, blinded to
their real designs concealed under the pre-
tence OF moral issue, become the willing
tools Of villainous cunning and chicAne
Where lies the remedyg an the ballot
box" says the alleged reformer. BY which
ne means some new legal or other contrlv-
ance by which he may rope in more fools.
II is prime law that worth will always
seek worth. 1t alone has eyes to see what
is good, what is true, what is capable. Like
people, like priest" You can never blot out
that law, in this world. Natural selection
is science and truth. Like seeks like, and
enjoys it. Taste and judgment in alliance,
harmony. No more applicable to politics
than to purely social relations. You cannot
close the chasm between high grade and
low. Boorish manners repel cultivation
Society regulates itself, when il is society
and not shoddy. No populace can select
the man fitted and necessary to lead. The
commonplace man will vote for one like
himself. Another eternal law of which you
cannot get rid. The herded cattle, all reg
istered and coralled, will obey the order of
the cowboy that rounds them up. Take
the measure Of the man chosen and you
know the kind that elected him. Thus, re
versing the common opinion, in conglom
crate voting mass a small majority may be-
come the highest distinction or, defeat the
greatest compliment that could be paid the
merit of the man. 1t requires no small moral
courage in really qualified and excellent
man to submit his claims to the mob which
In country afflicted and debased with
chartism is to decide his fate So often good
men have hoped for apples of gold in pic
lures of silver, and have had TO take IAN
apple OF Sodom set in the clusters of Gomor-
rah." Truth recognizes It's owns features
everywhere. II cannot be bribed IL is not
easily deceived. 1t prefers defeat rather
than success through false archimage dis
stimulation, in which the alleged reformer
surpasses his Persian priestly prototype.
Politicians of an entirely different and
honorable class have Inadvertently done
much 10 prepare the way for the triumph OF
the lower order. There is one word upon
which they have rung the changes, one word
they have taken as a allsman, one word on
which to base all appeals. One generation
after another has been so tickled with the
sound of democracy" or "republicanism,"
meaning the same thing, and dlfierentiating
between a government constituted by the
electors and one monarchical in form, that
we have come TO look in the cutters for "the
people" the lauded flattered, almost apotheo
sized people" as II the gentleman born IL
somehow not TO be thought of as candl
date; or, being nominated, still having the
misfortune 10 be q gentleman, every dirty
means must be used 10 compass his defeat.
That the laws must be framed 10 protect the
tenant whatever may beiall the landlord;
that TO be rich Is crime 10 be punished, TO
be poor q special merit; that the servant Is
more worthy consideration than the master.
BY consequence, the democracy" OF "the
people" is a bastard, with scarce one feature
OF the proud republicanism of the fathers,
but with the distinct prophecy OF an I'M
peralism which bides the hour OF its corona
lion. This might not prove the catastrophe
it seems, only that an earth worm, with no
birth, breeding, natural instincts, nor infiu-
ence Of elevated associations, is certain, by
undue exercise Of authority, Tor which he
has no faculty, provoke revolution. A slave
10 the hardest, cruelest Of masters, even over
other slaves. The people, the precious peo-
pie, 80 unutterably dear 10 the alleged re-
former, who slabbers over them in public
and laughs at them In private, show an in
creasing foEdness for what they style self
made" men," whose boosted distinction is
they never had an education; with an &C.
casonal exception the most self conceted,
arrogant, Overlooking class of nincompoops
upon earth The result Of this infatuatlon
IL the elevation to responsible positions Of
fellows exactly described by Dryden:
A man 80 various, that he seem'd 10 be
Not one, but all mankind's eptome;
Stiff In opinions-always in the wrong
Was everything by starts, but nothing long
Who, in the course Of one revolving moon
Was chemist fiddler, statesman, and bulfoon
A certain member of certain Legislature
urged his party men TO vote for a measure
because, said he, "if we do not we shall re.
gret It," Edmund Burke said 10 an angry
constituency, when before them for re-elec
ton: al spoke and voted In parliament
against your wishes because your desires
were wrong. II you elect me again, viii
do what believe 10 be right Where, il
all the sanity lot OF sanctIied alleged re
formers, shall we find even the shadow o
suct a mani
All Rraa