The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-04-28
ABOUT PATRIOTISM.

QimculI 20 Imagine WAnt9hAes5 9
spirit more reckless. more wicked NOR
lrepugnant to true patriotism, than thf
usa Of whatever influence one ma
possess to bring on war, with al it
horrors and miseries, so long as thI
possibility Of preserving an honorable
! peace has not utterly vanished
Il, in spite Of al efforts to avert it
war does come. the duties Of patriot
/ ism are the same for all, Of whatever
shade Of opinion for those who die
not approve Of the cause Of the quarrel
as much as for those who did Patriot
ism then demands that we should al
unite with the same faithful devotion
in doing the best we can to make the
shortest possible work Of the struggle,
and to secure a speedy issue honorable
aud advantageous to our country Il
demands that we should carefully
abstain from sndangering the opera
tlons Of our armies OF navies by giving
information to the enemy, and that,
among other things, we should sternly
curb that spirit Of journalistic enter
prise" which, for instance, now is SC
busy advertising to the whole world
the military and naval plans Of our
government It demands that we
should always be willing to deny our
selves any opportunity fol private ad.
vantage that may injuriously interfere
with the public policy
It demands that, while vigorously
pushing the war, we should neglect no
chance for an honorable peace, and
that in making such a peace we should
never tarnish the good name Of our
country by an unnecessary humiliation
Of the defeated enemy It demands
that while the war is going on we
should strive to the utmost Of our
power to mitigate its horrors, to ale
yiate its miseriea, and last, but not
least to counteract those agencies of
Generalization and corruption which,
while the excited public mind is turned
to one single object, are apt to grow
and flourish in extraordinary measure.
And here we touch a chapter, the i'm
portauce Of which the patriot who has
the working Of free institutions at
heart win certainly not fail to appre-
eiate
1t is in time Of war, when the rush Of
events frequently makes the needs Of
the government especially pressing,
that the tribe Of unscrupulous specula-
tors bent upon cheating and robbing
the public find most fruitful oppor-
tunities They will always be seen and
heard among the noisiest Of patriots,
in whose opinion no preparation is
large enough, no action too quick and
no measure too far.reaching. In the
name of patriotism" they win insist
that al those safeguards in the govern
ment machinery which are to prevent
fraud and theft be swept away as an
tiquated red tapeism" that obstructs
the necessary vigor and promptness Of.
action IA the name Of patriotism
they viii seek to foist into places Of
trust and responsibility patriots Of
their own stripe to help them in their
raseally game. In the name Of pa
triotism' they will strive to discredit
and break down public men who have
remained sufficiently cool to guard the
public interest as not patriotic
enough. And this tribe Of sharks and
harpies viii be Justify aided by the
disreptuable politicians who discover in
the general disturbance a new chance
for themselves and who expect the
loudest kind Of war patriotism to lift
them into popular favor and public
place, trusting that everything will be
forgiven 10 the patriot" who is most
vociferous Ia denouneing the enemy
and most fercely proclaiming that the
war must not cease until the last
foe has bitten the dust This
is the class Of patriots well fitted by |
old Dr.. Samuel Johnstons robust say
ing, that patriotism is the last refuge
of a scoundreLn And those who love |
their country and mean to serve it
faithfully must not forget that true
patriotism; while In time Of war it has
to fight the soreign enemy abroad, has
to fight with equal vigilance and yigoT /
false patriotism at home For unless
it 40 50 with effect. tho range and /
power Of corrupt and degrading inau
encss in our political life win be fear
fully enlarged. and the progress Of !
honest, safe and orderly methods Of
government may be set back for az
indefinite period.
Can true patriotism possibly Be eag 81
70 rush our country into war while
there s i chance for honorable peWse?
Carl Schurz 10 Harpers Weekly.