The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-10
PATRIOTISM AND sTATEsMENsHIP

things, for Dur country is in great need
of both now. Sir William Jones. the
very illustrious Oriental scholar, (but
an Englishman) in his famous, we'll
known poem on patriotism, showed
what ne understood by it-what con-
Stituted a state. He showed first in
what it did not consist. And then he
said and the words are most emoma
bic. hat it was:
Men, high-minded Men,
With powers as far above dull brutes
endued,
In forest brake or den.
AS beasts excel cold rocks and bram-
bles rude;
Men, who their duties know,
But know their rights, n knowing.
dare maintain,
Prevent the long aim'd blow,
And crush n Tyrant, while they ren1
the chain;
These constitute a Sta.e."
These are noble and true words al
ways, as then, so now. There was
never perhaps in our Ountry greater
need of broad, exalted. pure states
manShip than now There are politi-
clans and politicians. blu, statesman
ship pure and simple and grand, is in
deed a very rare thing in any section
or state. If asked to name off-hand
who are now our genuine, simon
pure, broad-gauged, wise. high-toned,
great statesmen, how many could any
of us name, and in naming show in
telligence and veracity and candor and
insight in the naming? But there is
a pressing demand for craftsmanship
for men who can rise allow. SELF,
above their immediate section or To-
cality when legislating for all-men
who are thoroughly American in SEN
timent. and can do justice to the East
or the West, to the South or the
North.
Edmund Burke, the wisest, most phil
osophial of all statesmen, as he was the
most splendid in the composition of hi
speeches, had a broad view of states
manship, and taught that a rea
statesman looked at the whole n no.
simply a part-that he conceived vi
the life of the country as an organic
whole, and treated great public ques,
tions in the light of THAI high and no
bic conception. We have not his word!
by us and merely give the sense.
Is it true now that craftsmanship il
any broad, national sense prevails
Look at the laws enacted year by year
Party and section and their respective
interests control legislation. This L
particularly the case upon vital ques
tions-such as are national and econ
omic and financial.
1t is said that English craftsmanship
is necessarily broad and world-embra
cling owing to the multitudinous inter
ests involved in England's vast domi
nation and the sweep of the British
Empire. Perhaps the reader can re
call Mr.. Webster's famous and splendid
passage as to the drum-beat Of Eng
land being heard around the world
We can not give it from memory.
Some time ago we read in a northern
weekly an article upon 5tatesmen-the
want of the country. We are glad t.
nave preserved a passage from 1t
which we copy here. Tie writer say:
wisely, periodically and with propel
observation:
I'm this country, on the other hand
by reason of physical ard climatic con
ditionS, everything tends to diffusion
Instead of one centre there are man.
centres, and there is a constant ten
dency to exalt the section at the ex
pense of the country, and to place tn
local interest above the general inter
est. For months past there has beer
talk of a new S~ectionalism between tn
East and the West, n many un
things have been said on both sides
The West is often ill-informed abou
the best Eastern opinion, and the Eas
is singularly, and at times criminally
ignorant of the best Western opinion
There is an immense amount Of poht
ial provincialism among Eastern pee
pie who are otherwise intelligent
They know nothing of the state o
things in Kansas except the inforna
ton which they get from the dali.
press, that persistent disseminator o
prejudices and misinformatton-"
This is from a New York city paper
and none other than 1.-The Outlook.
Its remark as to the "provincialism'
Of New England-its narrowness, it
insular notions, is correct. and is seel
clearly by men in the south with New
England kin. We have had occasion
often to refer to the o
vision. and the really lamentable
porance. and as a consequence, tn,
Astounding Misrepresentation of TIN
south of New Englanders. They ar,
maryellously blind as to other sections
and their needs, trials. discussions an
desires. Some years ago we were con
versing with an intelligent bushes
man. born in North Carolina, Dun o
New England ancestry on one sloe
He said to us, and he unconscious
o our own thoughts:"I have mar
yelled ait their ignorance. You vii
find them educated. OF oooh