The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-05

what It Mehns-Indt to It
 Resp possibilities.
 Were to seek a scriptural text upor
 which to base my remarks on the topic
 as announced. I would find one appro
 priate in Mark, the twelfth chapter and
 seventeenth verse. Render unto Caes-
 ar the things that are Caesars" You
 will remember the incident that
 prompted the Master to utter these sig
 nificant words Some one had asked
 him, "1s it lawful to pay tribute to
 Caesar?" Show me a penny" was his
 response. When the coin of the realm
 was placed in his hand, Whose image
 and superscription is this?' was his
 query. They replied, Caesars" Then
 came that splendid, that sublime ap-
 peal, aye, command, to obey the civil
 law, ''Render unto Caesar the things
 that are Caesars and unto God the
 the things that are Gods"
 It is my purpose this afternoon to in
 vite your attention to three closely re-
 lated currents of thought, all issuing
 from the theme, citizenship a sacred
 trust
 l. What does citizenship mean?
 ?. Indifference to the Responsibilities
 of Citizenship.
 3. Beneficient Results of Purified
 Citizenship.
 First, what does citizenship mean?
 That Is. what does the term properly imply, involve connote to the citizen?
 Citizenship in a republic, however, is that if which I speak, an essentially different thing from that in any mon-
 archy, however enlightened. Finally, I mean citizenship in the republic of the United States The citizen of the an- cient republic of Rome had one set of duties and privileges, the citizen in the republic of France to-day has another and the American citizen has one diff erent from either. It is Americans whom address and American citizen ship which I would set forth.
 Citizenship in the United States is fraught with power, privilege and re- sponsibility as nowhere else and at no former period in the worlds history. We have the authority and burdens of sovereignty. It is impossible for us to say, when anything goes wrong in the affairs of government, Well we are pOWeTl6SS lO IILGIl6Ie. IL IS NILE Georges or Emperor Frederick's or Czar Alexander's affair, not ours" American citizens are their own kings Governors and presidents are but their servants, whom they call to account when they please. Ours is a govern ment from, by and for the people. The citizenship if this country is the reposi- tory of all power, administrative, legis- 1ative, military, judicial. American citi- zens. ultimately, create their own presi- dents, governors, judges generals ad mirals and other officials, make their own laws and govern themselves.
 The responsibility placed upon the citizen is obviously, very great. All persons who vote constitute part of the machinery of government, and none live or die unto themselves.
 The right of all to life, liberty and | the pursuit of happiness is to an ex- tent jeopardized or confirmed by the | acts of every single citizen. He who to do as the Constitution says l a citizen shall do, performs an act of | abdication uncontemplated in our sys- tenn, and he who uses his privileges as a citizen in way that his own judg- ment and conscience condemn is still more dangerous traitor to the state. For the citizen is in one respect sen tinel. There is but one thing in the conduct of a sentinel more reprehens- ble than to fall asleep on duty, and that Is to maliciously lead the enemy into camp. The citizen who declines to perform his civic duties is the sleeping while he who misuses his fran chise is the sentinel who acts as guide to the enemy.
 There is no magic in the name or of republic which in- sures good government. Let the ill., starred history of the South American 'epublics just now emerging from dark ness, bear witness. Rome had @ repub- ic which was so bloody and terrible hat the people breathed sigh of re- ief when she exchanged it for the em- Dire of Augustus. Though constitu- ion be provided with safeguards so admirable as ours. though the statute { books be filled with prudent laws, if bao md incompetent men somehow get the ( ,ffices. law and constitution will be i )owerless to prevent the decay of the / epublic. l Ours is not democracy, but d re- l ublic, and the theory of our republic I s that it is to be governed by an aris- f ocracy, not of blood, not of wealth, C ut of the best men. That is the theory ' hat the people will vote into office the t nen who are best fitted by ability and t integrity to fill the offices. When that ( deal Is lost the republic is lost. ( In popular government. too, law is 8 Is greatest safeguard, and in propor- I ion as law becomes imperative through nefTiciency or corruption, the strength a nd safety of the government become q impaired. Responsibility for the en- t orcement of law rests finally with the r itizens of town, state and nation. T ,Iame officials for neglect of duty, if V ou will, the fact remains that when he people demand the enforcement of Il wv, officials are compelled to listen ' nd either execute or make way for nose who will execute. The safety of \ Il our governments from the lowest to ne highest is in a purified citizenship. The man who neglects his duty as a tizen should be deprived of the privi- ,ges and blessings of the government II