Smyrna times., 1899-08-09

THEODORE Roosevelt, like VIM.
Jennings Bryan, is one of those public
speakers who draws. Last Thursday
night at Ocean Grove he spoke to an
audience of $4,000 people on ''Practi-
cal Politics and Decent Politics" "
The New York papers say it was the
largest audience that ever gathered
about the Auditorium, thousands not
being able to get in. The New York
San in its account says:
''The Governors entrance in the
hall provoked another remarkable
demonstration. The entire audience
arose and gave the Chautauqua hand
kerchief salute, while they cheered for
fifteen minutes. Prayer was offered
by the Rev. DR.. 0. Hanlon. The Rev.
DR.. Price asked for a collection and
then Bishop Fitzgerald made the
speech of introduction. When the
Governor arose, the audience arose
with him and the cheers continued for
twelve minutes more. Finally Gov.
Roosevelt had to motion to the people
to take their seats. Then he said that
he had just learned that the Lieuten-
ant-COlOnel of the Rough Riders,
Brodie of Arizona, was on the plat
form, having come to Ocean Grove to
visit his relative, the Rev. DIR. o.
HanlOn. Col. Brodie was then pre-
sented to the audience by the Gov
ernor. Brodie arose, put his arm on
the shoulder of his former chief and
the two stood there together while the
people broke forth into another season
of cheering
When Gov. Roosevelt could make
himself heard he said:
"When L am addressing body like
this I naturally like to speak on the
question of political life, for in coun-
! try such as ours the political life must
in the long run correspond to the
social and religious life.
cit is idle for the mass of good citi-
zens to try to set themselves apart as
not responsible for our political short
comings. In the end the politicians
must be exactly what the people allow
them to be. They must represent the
people-perhaps the vice, perhaps the
virtue. perhaps the indifference of the
| people. This does not in the least ex-
cuse politicians that are bad, and we
must keep in mind that fact that every
vicious politician, above all successful
politician, tends to debauch public
conscience, to render bad men bolder
and decent men who are not far sighted
more cynically Indifferent than ever.
''But in blaming the politician do
not forget that we are ourselves to
blame for permitting his existence.
Again, do not let us fall into the mis-
take of thinking that we shall ever
make politics better by Mysteries in
any shape or form. Wild denuncia-
tion of all politicians, good and bad, is
the very thing most advantageous to
the bad politician, because such de-
nunciation, being One-half false. In
the same way a place second in infamy
to the man who is dishonest in politics
is occupied by the man who wrongfully
accuses he who is honest of dishon-
esty
Entirely apart from the wrong done
the individual by such an accusation,
it is of the gravest of wrongs to the
State, for it tends to excite disbelief in
the honesty of good public servants,
and also, as its falsehood is sure to be
partially appreciated, tends to excite
disbelief in the justice of any charges
against public servants, good or bad.
In consequence the public gradually
shows callOusness. 1t expects to see all
public men assailed, whether they
have been faithful or unfaithful, and
gradually assumes the cynical habit ot
belief that, on the one hand, no public
man is entirely just, and that therefore
there is no use in worrying over one
or the other.
Remember, then, that your high.
est duty to the State is to see that you
do all that within you lies to elevate
the standard of public life, to demand
honesty and efficiency in your public
men, and to frown on the system oi
lying slander which would teach you
that there is no good and no bad, nc
black and no white, that everything
is gray, and every man time server
who will do as much i'll as he dares.