The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-08-27
MINNESOTA. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1903.

MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, Al
desire to roast somebody simply be-
cause that somebody" has given utter
ance to some unwelcome truths!
Mr.. M. then indrlges in little more
turgescence- for recreation's
sake-and then deals me herculean blows
for expostulating against so-calied
patriotic songs that contain more bonn
bast than truth. In order to make sure
of refuting my argument for the neces-
sity of truthfulness in our patriotic
songs as well as in sll other things, he
jumps from patriotism to religion, and
from religion back to patriotism
somewhat after the manner of play
full youngster, who delights to jump
over fence, or ditch, just to show
that he can do it. What patriotism
has to do with religion, or religion with
patriotism, is question rather diff
cult to answer. Some mighty good
patriots have been irreligious, and
some very religious persons have been
decidedly unpatriotic. A little thing
like that does not worry our critic,
however. Any old thing will serve him
for argument, no matter how irrele-
want it may be to the theme discussed,
provided it is "full Of noise and fury"
Yes, think of the sentiment: "Think
of saying there's no place like home
my home-simply because it is MY
homel' Think of the man whose home
is hell trying to deceive himself into
believing his home paradise! Think
OF drunken fathers and mothers, and
hungry children, with the marks of
violence on their persons, and then bid
them sing, "There's no place like
home" simply because it is THEIR
homel But LETT us deal gently with Mr..
NJ. No man ever yet gave expression
to sentiments so feyeid -ef tho love of
truth and true benevolence as did Mr..
NJ. in his exposition of patriotism,
land escaped the just penalty. A man
who is SO swayed by emotions that he
dares not look facts in the face, or
search into the cause of things, or re-
4 feet upon the evil results that follow
in the wake of blind, unreasoning en-
thusiasm, or the love of things that are
in themselves not lovable, will in the
end dethrone his reason, and be en-
slaved by his animal propensities, and
'a maudlin sentiments.
4 That enthusiasm is not the mighty
, lever Mr.. M. would have US believe it
is, we may learn from history. If ever
there was anything begotten of enthu.
siasm it was the first crusade Yet what
dismal failure it was! Again. when
the French army marched against the
Prussians at Rossbach their enthusi.
asm was unbounded. Self-confdence
oozed out of their big toes. How they
feared lest the little king and his little
army should escape! With what noise
they went into the battle and with
what haste they threw away guns and
. ammunition. and articles of wearing
apparel, that they might run faster
Turn the tables. How the Prussians
in 1906 Dragged about what they would
8 do to NapoIeonl How they turned
l common sense and discretion out o1
. doors to make room for more enthusi
+ asmi Note with what confidence the!
: asserted the little corporal could neve
g stand before the soldiers of the grea
i Frederick Frederick had been deat
!. twenty years, but that cut no ice will
Q them. Noisy patriots are never dis
t turbed by little discrepancies like that.
8 Then remember the battles of Jena
t and Friedland and EyIau, and the ig
9 nominious peace of Tilsit! What grea
q achievements the noisy patriot cal
q boast of!
# Let Mr.. M. further reflect upon this
>, Not in the wind; not in the earthquake
l. not in the FIRE that passed before Eliza
It while standing on Mount Horeb did b
10 discern the Lord, but in the still smal
d voice. And it is not noise, or boastina
q or spread eagle oratory that makes
{, people patriotic or country great, bu
is the love Of truth, the determination {
it do right, to work Tor our country
3t good even If our own interests SUITE
sr thereby. Unless we realize that he VIII
le prevents his country from doing wron
Q, is q greater, nohler patriot than he wh
TO wins victories for his country In
,e wrong cause, we can have but poo
is conception of the high order of patr
le totism necessary to bring about Il