The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-12-13

track and try to stop wild engine. Tho
sentiment which prevails in a community
shapes public affairs. In politics it is broad.
ly indicated by the majority vote; in society
by the manners which prevail, the customs
which are in vogue, the abuses which ara
tolerated. Public sentiment rules and has
what it wants. Let it advocate any nuhlic
benefit or wink at any social folly and either
will find ways and means to maintain itself
Private opinion, as such has little weight
but public sentiment becomes the expressed
will OF the people. When public sentiment
approves or connives at any evil, even law is
not able to Danish that evil. The reformer
must reform public sentiment before he can
reform public affairs. Roosevelt had the
law with him in New York City, when he
attempted to close the dram shops on Sum-
day, but the weight of public opinion
did not uphold him. The courts have no
Jurisdiction over public sentiment. Pub
lie sentiment is a growth, a deyelopment
1t proceeds by degrees. 1t cannot, even bv
law, be jumped from low to a high and
ideal level. Public Indifference is the Mega
tive phase of public sentiment. Ills harder
i'll some Instances to overcome public inertia.
than public advocacy. Nothing short of
moral convulsion is strong enough in many
instances to arouse the quiescent moral
sentiment Public sentiment rules. public
indifference consents to it's rule. Put any
question to vote and the result will show to
which side public sentiment inclines. The
STRENGTH a N ct
IN It's ranks. Reforms in morals, education
or road building come only when public
sentiment is awakened to the necessity of
them. Those so-called reformers who be-
labor society because it is not as good as
they are have little effect to make it better.
but rather retard the slow but sure process
OF public sentiment towards higher ground.
AS pertinent example take the prohibitory
amendment to the Constitution. Upon this
question the people now have no voice.
Yet they overrule the Constitution. The
most intelligent and candid advocates of
prohibition frankly admit that public senti-
ment does not favor it's enforcement NV
belief is that the people would favor and
respect local option. AS to stopping the
sale OF liquor by law, it would be as easy
to stop Niagara with beaver dam. agree
with Evangelist Moody that the question is
one for the people to decide directly by
their ballots. Put the question to a vote in
every municipal election and town meeting.
Then public sentiment would be put direct
ly to the test, and in many places would
vote out the dram-shop; in every case would
be enlightened and purified, and finally as
sert itself on the right side. l deplore as
deeply as any one may this quality of pub
lie sentiment, but the facts are indisputable
In government like ours the will of the
majority must be yielded to. Good men
and women hold different views There
are good Democrats and good Republicans,
good Methodsts and good Catholics, good
temperance men and women who do not
favor prohibition. Public sentiment cannot
be raised like the mercury in a thermometer
by breathing hot blasts of invective. If we
are true citizens we must share in every eff
fort to advance public sentiment l would
not depend on fighting dram shops and kim
dred evils out OF town by means of consta
bles and courts. They will come back again
if enough people want them to make them
profitable. | would, instead, advocate the
elements of purity, self-respect and temper
ance, and gradually infuse them into public
sentiment. Every man should be what he
wishes his son to be. and every woman
should be an example to her daughter. Mr..
Leighton then urged his hearers to foster
all means of advancing the material pros
perty of the city. What is needed in bust
ness is a revival Of the staunchest princi-
pies of integrity, honesty and justice, and
in society revival of the old fashioned
virtues of simplicity and self-control, some
thing beyond frivolity and fashion. Public
sentiment, if it have too much of these
light, unstable motives, cannot be robust to
conceive and maintain high order of Soci-
ETY.. The public school is an indispensable
element in creating a hearty, public senti-
ment The best of everything is none too
good for the public schools. There is no
retrenchment so i'll advised as that which
affects the schools. There are enough peo-
pie in Belfast who might go to church and
who need the elements which the church
supplies, to fill every church in this city
every Sunday, The church is serving hui
manity as no other factor can serve it, and
affording an atmosphere favorable to the
advancement of public sentiment. AS ev-
cry person in the community adds strength
or weakness to the prevailing spirit and
motive it is his highest duty to qualify his
mind and heart to contribute only what
shall be for the best interests of humanity.
High School Lecture Course.
To dispel a misconception which seems to
exist in the minds of many with reference
to the character of the lectures to be given
in the High School Course. We will say that