New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-04
TALK ON THE SPOILS SYSTEM.
CFiARLEs J. BONAPARTE DISCOURsEs "a
TIRICALLY ON raE POLITICAL
STTT- ALTON

A large audience. which Included number Of
men. gathered yesterday in the OF the League
for Political Education. No q West Forty-foUrth-
St. II o'clock. hear Charles J. Bonaparrs
speak Patriotism and the Spells System
Mr.. Bonaparte began by q citing. with the pur-
pose Of rsfuting. the saying 7 would rather be
patriot than a pessirnist-' He observed that pa
triotism necessarily incompatible with
pessirism- The Mrs Gummidges Of either sex
might bernoan with the utmost sincerity the sp-
parent trend OF their country II the direction OF
Mr. Mantalinis -'demnitiOn bowwOws-
II would be optimism. indeed he said. 70 claim
that the admitted ruler OF this great city Is the
man who BY all his qualities. lsrse-heartsd-
ness. public-spirftedness. unselhshnsss. and pa
triotism is best fitted for the high though name
less. position holds: that the legislatures are
composed. in the main. OF men who are a COM
bination of saint and hero The speaker made
further sarcastic aIlusiens abuses and scandals
in official life which were listened TO with evident
sympathy.
-'Bismarck's definition OF he distinction between
a people and a nation" said Mr. Bona parte. -
somewhat es follows allowing fOr its hItratfon
from the German through French into English
a people is a Heterogeneous mass OF persons lfv-
ing in certain territory usually under the leader
ship OF those least lifted lead. but whose I'M
pudence and self-conhdence push them 70 TIA
front. nation Is a spiritual entity. composed OF
a body OF persons. who have lived and VII con-
tinue 10 live under the sway OF one being who Is
divinely authorized to the brain OF that
body and direct its movements
The world has outgrown that sentiment she
speaker continued, and we wonder that a man or
superior Intelligence should have uttered such
sense within fifty years. YET there Is a germ of
profound truth embedded in It. The nation Is
spiritual entity. II may take In men OF ether
tonalitiss citizens. II may give It's 70 be
citizens Of other countries. but 3 still the nation
as I. who constantly taking atoms into
nv physical organization and throwing on old
atoms am stin the SEINE man who began 10 talk
ten minutes ago. Cities and towns OF TIE
nation owes tts existence the mysterious onnnipo-
tent cause that some name God and some call law
that truth lies the secret or the feeling that
call patriotism After Is6l and ISIS no enc aOunc
that a nation
as every CITIZEN Is a trustee OF our vast heritage
from the Sast 70 De sacredly preserved Tor the
future From this point OF view the MAXIM L.
the vtctors belong the spOils IS olaspheny he who
would arouse popular passions ana use puoAc rust
for his personal profit Is traitor. and when sncn
a man processes 70 love his country ne adds a
deeper shade OF backness 20 bis crime and becomes
Judas
The lecture next SATURDAY morning VII be BY
Mrs. Frederic Nathan on The Progress or indus
Erskne Ely on Christianity and Social Reform Is
announced % De given on SUNDAYS oestnn1ng on
February II az the Madis~= Avenue HaP-ist
Church. at Thirty-frst-st. at 4S0 ,. m Mr. Ely :
president OF the Prospect Union. In Cambridge.
Mass, a school for xOrkngmen. IN which the
teachers are instructors and students az Harvard
University. who give their time 10 THIS Work Mt.
Ely has been special student OF economics and
sociology. and has lectured extensively On these
subjects.