Evening journal., 1903-04-01
FUNDAMENTALS

OAN "a "a AAAN \ hAA1
A great many people 90 through life
mistaklng the form for the substance
and unconsciously worshipping sham
instead Of reality They observe a
few rules of society and think they have
culture; they follow the ceremonies OF
the church and imagine that they are
religious, and in politics they newer cut
a ticket OF question: a principle, and
thus they wear the honors that attach
to a sound party man.
Many a man who wraps mis- Virtue
around him like cloak, is yet intellec-
tualIy dishonest. concealing even from
himself his true character We are all.
TO "A greater or less degree slaves Of
convention, and many man, more
than anything else. needs to be intro
dulcedi TO himself But back Of all con
vention is am actuality, and It is this
that we should seek IL we would de.
velop character and become useful as
factors in the community. We have
thousands Of man and women who arc
striving to be good Methodists. Catho-
lies or PresbyterianH, without botherine
their heads very much about the ques.
tion OF whether they are good Chris
tiane, when the system should be re
versed. SO there are persons who win
the title OF perfect gentlemen because
they are punctilious and forget none
OF the outward graces and fourishes
Their conduct is governed by appear
ahees, and not by innate impulses Of
kindliness.
Coming down to the realm OF politics
there is the same story to tell. To be
called a staunch Republican or a
staunch Democrat is the secret aspira-
tion of many, and to play the r6le
N consistently they shut their eyes and
gulp down every ticket their party pre-
sents, the rascals and all When. after
a time, they come to ibe called "old wan
horses" of the party their chests swell
with pride.
Now we suppose that It will be ad.
mltted by all that the best Methodist
baptist or Catholic is the person who
tries hardest to bel Christian. and like
wise that the truest gentleman is the
man whose impulses of the heart and
head are kindly and generous. SO We
may carry the idea along to political
life and learn "a useful lesson II should
be impressed on all, both young and
old that no man can be a good Re
publican OF good Democrat who is not
first a good citizen. II we placed
greater stress upon loyalty to the State
and nation. wo should have less need
to howl about staunch Republicans on
Democrats. We repeat that the form Is
too often mistaken for the substance
and the secondary matter is given the
chief place in our estimation.
Let us see then who are good Repub.
licans or Democrats. and who are not
The man who buys a vote offends
against organized society. He sin
against the laws and against the bod,
polite. To call him a good Republican
is equivalent TO saying that Republi
canism is Synonymous with rascality
which surely cannot be admitted. Tn
same may be said about the man VIII
sells his vote. Then let US ask wheuh
or the man who votes for another 70
an Important office, when he knows b
Is helping to elect a rascal, IS a geo
citizen. He knows that were all ne
actuated by the same motives, none bu
klayes would occupy public offic'
Such man is doing the community
wrong. and, therefore, he is not a goo
citizen And we insist that he cannt
under such circumstances be a zoo
Republican or Democrat There is
tendency to perpetuate a wrong on III
public that personally we would ayo
We wouldn't trust a man or suspicion
c1aiaCter in our money-draRer. an
yet We vote for this man for Collcil
for some other responsible Office az
place him where he will have access
tie public treasury When we dc IN
we are committing something tn
might easily be called crime. and
are neither good citizens nor go
party men, n nes<
These things are all in the prime
of life. yet we need to start crusa
to impress them A man should be
tached to his own party, and love It
much that he cannot allow its e
name to DC tarnislled. Tho fear of
independent vote that win not toler