The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-11-14
i GOOD CITIZENSHIP SUNDAY.

Sunday" should be observed through
out the country at least once a year in
all the churches and thinks that in
this manner the standard of citizen
ship might be very greatly improved
and the people educated along the
lines of better and purer government.
On this important and timely subject
the Times says: -; =:
"Ehe appeal that one sundayat least
be set apart each year for the carrying
out OF the work should meet with a
prompt and unanimous response. Such
movement is bound to spread in every
state and territory of the Union. Mil
lions of Sunday school children and
youths will observe Good Citizenship
Sunday and have it more and more i'm
pressed upon them that Good men CAN
not be bad citizens.'" 49,
"a man cannot be bad politician
and good christian; he cannot be a
christian and a bad citizen. Let this
be impressed upon the minds of the
boys and girls not only of our Sunday
schools, but of every secular school
and in every homie of the land, and the
day will not be far distant when much
OF the reproach shall be removed from
our politics and christian work shall
assume a new meaning in its more
direct application to the most practical
things of daily life.''
This movement if properly inaugu-
rated will become most popular one.
Recent legislation shows that more
power is being placed in the hands of
the people than ever before and the
rights of citizens are being safe guarded
as never before. The Australian bal
lot law and the primary election law
are the results of movement toward
cleaner and purer politics and have
conferred upon the people rights that
have so often been usurped by political
bosses and gangs SO called. . But I'M
less the people themselves can be made
to more seriously realize the necessity
of taking a personal interest in all
affairs of a public nature the laws that
have been passed for their benefit will
prove abortive. The great trouble has
been that so many citizens shrink from
discharging the true duties Of citizen
ship and allow few self-constituted
leaders to usurp all the functions that
belong to the people. To speak frankly,
the fault has been more with the peo-
pie than with the bosses. From the
school and town board meeting to the
local and district political conventions
it has been invariably the rule that
the people are too Indifferent and do
not take the interest in public affairs
that they should. Only when public
sentiment becomes aroused do the peo-
pie seem to assert their rights and
when they do there is music in the air
for time. There is no better oppor-
tunity for men to show what manner
of men they are than at the school and
town meetings and at political conven-
tions where the policies of local, State
and national affairs are shaped. Then,
too, there is no better opportunity for
a man to win the favor and the conf
dence of the people than at these meet
ings and conventions which are STEP
ping stones to positions of honor and
trust. Many a humble boy has grown
to manhood and achieved honor and
greatness in showing true qualities of
citizenship by taking an active interest
in public affairs. The man who takes
an interest in the minor duties of citi-
zenship is the man who sooner or later
will serve the people in positions of
trust and honor, and the people will
seek him out and honor him. But it is
not the selfish citizens that the country
wants, but the ones who will take an
interest in public affairs for their coun-
try's sake and who do not expect any
reward for the same, other than we'll
governed community.
On this matter of good citizenship
some pertinent remarks by the New
York independent touch another phase
of the question. The Independent says:
1.-THE average business man in New
York city, Chicago or Philadelphia,
| right down in the bottom of his heart
does not want an unfinchingly honest,
businesslike administration, which
will enforce the, law to the. letter and
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