Arizona republican., 1899-10-16
THE ESSENCE OF D1sLoYAarY.

Probably patriotism is the most wide
 ly felt as it is one of the most natural
 sentiments of the human heart. What
 is the essence of this universal virtue
 for virtue it certainly is? Many accept
 the idea embodied in Commodore De-
 catur's celebrated toast given at Nor folk, Virginia, more than eighty years ago." Our country. In her intercourse
 with foreign nations may she alwaJ Js
 be in the right; but our country, right
 or wrong" Many others regard the
 conclusion Of this sentiment as vicious,
 as it pledges the citizen to the support
 of his country even if the latter is
 guilty of the greatest crimes against
 God and humanity Few Americans
 even among those who admire the
 spirit of the naval hero's toast really
 mean that it should carry them to the utternost extreme. Probably as good
 distiction as can be made between
 patriotism and it's opposite is that the
 patriot shall not always stand by his
 country when it is right, but should
 always anxiously try to believe that it
 is right and that it's attitude is worthy of his support. Certainly no person can be called patriotic who is constant
 ly seeking for occasion to belittle and
 defame the action of his country or of those who for the time being stand as it's governing powers. which is practically the same thing. There are a great many such people in our own country at this time. Nearly all of those who are posing as anti-imperial- ists come within that category, judg- ing from their actions. With few honorable exceptions the political op- ponents of the national administration stand in the same attitude and are showing the essence of unpatriotism because they are not only not seeking occasion to approve the acts of their country but, on the contrary, are using the very microscope of criticism to find | cause for censure of it's foreign and do- mestic policy, the work of its military | commanders, and the character and | acts of every republican official in whatever capacity he is serving. This | attitude, we repeat, is the essence of | It is despicable and dis gusting. If it indicated a deeply rooted | principle it would be more tolerable. But it is the mere lip-service and veneer of supposed partisan exigency. We do not believe that any large num- Der of American people are unpatriotic at heart. They all really love their country and most of them would warmly defend it from attack by per sons of other nationalfties even if the outside criticism should take the very course that the defenders have been pursuing themselves. This shows the 'eal supericialty of the censure that he anti-imperialists and democrats so constantly cast upon the administra- ion. But superficial and disingenuous Us it is, it is distinctly unpatriotic and entirely inexcusable, especially when
 he country is involved in a foreign var. This is not to say that it is the Iuty of any one who honestly believes | =. efensible, to defend it. But to ap- ' 'laud is one thing; to go out of ones ! ray to seek opportunities and excuses or fault finding and attack is quite 7 mother. This is the trouble with
 early all the men who in the press or n the platform are assailing the pol " and the actions of our government F nd of it's counsel1ors in the cabinet i nd it's commanders in the field. They t o not seek or desire to find occasion S pr praise of achievements or even for of mistakes. They do want f } find or make every possible oppor- | unity to disparage, discourage and r -eaken the government-the country } which they owe allegiance. There I, ore they are displaying the essence of s isloyalty. Therefore they are acting s shameful part. Il