Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-08-24
OBLIGATION TO DO RIGHT.
My Country, Right or Wrong
A PerniCious Doctrine.
1T SHOULD FIRST DO RIGHT.
"eafching study OF the Duty Of the
United states At This Time by
Editor Meade.

When General Wheeler, in 1861, felt
That his country was wrong he took mp
arms against her-and still declares his
cause was true and inst. His :ext in Bos-
ton on Memorial day was "My Country,
Right or Wrong" He was nobler
figure far in 1861 thar as the preacher of
this devils doctrine. There is no doctrine
which is poisoning the blood uf this 'e-
public today like this. There is no man
so hopeless as he who knows nothing
higher than his country and who feels it
his duty to stand by his country in any
cause to which she is committed, whether
it be right or wrong. This republic is full
today OF this paralyzing fatalis'n, full of
men who believe tie country is in error,
even OF sin, but who believe it must still
be kept on its course, because the course
has been decreed. 1t is the ultimate POI
litical skepticism; but it speaks in the
home and on the street, with the preach
rs tongue and the editors pen. 1t
speaks from the chair where George Will
liam Curtis used to sit. We have made
a great mistake,-thus it is written,--we
are wronging the people OF the Philip
pines, We are false to ourselves, we have
turned our backs upon American princi-
pies; but We must stand by the admins
tration in fighting it through. 1.-THE
country is at war. When that is said, p
this il the monstrous conclusion, 1.-THE
duty Of every citizen is at once evident.
He must support the government, whether
he differed from it or not as to the pro-
priety Of the conduct which brought on
the war. 1t is immoral to do other.
WISE"
There are men in this country who be-
lieve that our course. in the Philippines
is thoroughly right; that, gong there by
accident or sudden military need, we
fonnd an unforeseen opportunity to de-
stroy Spanish rule, and it was u good
thing to do it that the Aguinaldo govern.
ment is not competent to govern well,
and so it is good thing to destroy that
and inject the people to ourselves, not
simply in the interests OF our industry
and trade, but in the interests OF general
peace and progress. The leaps in the
logic OF this position, the astigmatism OF
it's look at facts, it's sense OF what is great
and what is small. OF what progress IS,
and of what right and wrong are, are to
us appalling; but We can respect the posi-
ton; we do at least respect hundred
noble men who hold it. They seem to
us faithful blind men.
But the position Of this journal OF CIV
ilization," the position OF the multiplying
thousands of men, in the republic for
whom this journal speaks with holiness
and brutality only one degree greater
than what is common, is the position OF
faithless men who see. 1t is fathlessness
to civilization, faithlessness to humanity,
faithlessness to our democracy itseli-to
that higher law through love OF which
and fear of which and obedience to which
alone can this democracy or any state
continue to stand at all. 1t is state OF
mind, SAYS Ruskin, greatly to be dreaded,
NOT 70 know the devil when you see him.
More dreadful is the state OF the mlnd
uhose "immorality" is obedience to the
higher law.
immoral to turn back from recognized
error and undo confessed wrong-lmmor-
al 70 do right! 1t is expedient, it is hard
necessity, it is sometimes solemn duty
whom in some dreadful strait the very lie
If fine state is at stake, for the citizen 10
ho silent when he would else protest, be-
.ause diversion to a little wrong might
weaken a great right! But such occa-
sions are rare indeed in history; it is I'M
nious even to remember them in the
v;c;ous escapades of nations reveling in
insolent power. Immoral not to sup
mort the government" in wrong and folly!
Cav II 70 Chatham and to Burke, to the
GREAT company of the English irnmortals
Who reioiced in London at the news from
p,rker Hill and Saratoga! Say it to
Victor Hugo when to Support the gov
ornment" meant to support Napoleon the
little in subjugating Mexico! Say it to
charles Sumner when the government
meant the Quays and Platts and Hannas
of James X. Polk!
Support the government! Me' 'he
,oonie are the government. "The peo-
nle Is the sovereign OF this country" how
piten we need to remember that great
."ord Of Edward Everett Hale's;-"the
neonle is sovereign here, the people is the
fnu,,tan Of honor here; the president Is