Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-06-28

papers about corruption in New York.
WHY, if it were true, the people would
rise. There would be Indignation meet
ngs, vigilance committees, and some
body would be hung. But you don't see
any signs of excitement among the peO-
pie, do you: The citizens Just go quiet
ly about their business, and show in
that way that they do not believe a
word of your SANDERS" For our part,
we think this Tammany defence is COM
plete-that is, if the imperiaist defence
is. Both reason from exactly the same
premises to the same conclusion. And II
we were believing optimists about what
is going on in Havana and Manila, we
should never have the face to lift our
voices against what Tammany is doing in
New York. Tammany is just as truly
'inevitable," just as much an Hegelian
"word-process, as American expansion
is; and if the latter is a great good be-
cause it is "useless" to oppose it, so Is
the former.
Leaving the optimists to take a still
more pessimistic view of Tammany for
thus asserting ownership of one of their
own arguments, we have to remember
that political Indifference has always
been characteristic of time of great
commercial prosperity. y roaring trade
browns out for a time the still small
voice. Scruples cannot get hearing
when the land is filled with the hum of
industry, when the streets resound with
traffic, and the Stock Exchange boils
with excitement. This is perfectly nat
ural, nor is it wholly an evil. Political
duties are not the most imperative. a
man has to work for himself and his
family before 1t is his obligation to see
that the Republic takes no harm. And In
a time when opportunities are multi
piled and the daily demands on strength
and thought are more pressing. COM
parative indifference to what is going on
in the political world is to be expected.
1t is, at any rate, one of the commonest
marks of prosperous period. The mis-
chitvous side of it is that it gives in
triguers and ambitious politicians a
good chance to commit the country to
ian adventurous departure on untried
paths, as President Mckinley described
IN advance the policy which he de-
nOunced before adopting. But their
day or reckoning comes later; and an
interval of inaction and seeming ac-
quiescence does not really stay the mov-
ing finger which writes their final judg-
ment.
Another reason for the prevalent po-
litlcal Indifference is that there Is moth
ing at present for excitement to wreal,
itself upon. Ebullitions and cries, mere
ly for the sake of filling the streets and
making din, have never been the Anglo
Saxon way. and we hope never will be.
We are not Cells or Gauls, wildly to
desire to make the coort ring" whether
we have any case or not, or madly to
rush about 70 c0HSpUer somebody. Our
way is to watch for chance to strike
an effective blow; TO nurse our wrath
to bide our time, and to act upon the
knowledge that political results can
be reached only by political means
There is really no occasion for excite
ment Just now. We are four months
from the first election; sixteen months
from the choice of the next congress
If people are soberly and resolutely
thinking how they will vote when the
time comes to vote. that is much better
than going about with drums and ban.
ners and kicking up an awful but in.
etlectual row.
The truth is that the argument from
indifference cuts both ways. If we car
point to few indignant outbursts against
imperialism, neither can any genuine
endorsement of it anywhere be discov,
cred. 1t is something about which the
people have not expressed their mind