The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-08-27
AReply to G. B. M. : -
~ - ~ - Or What You Like.

L Wudl YOu Like. $$
sssssesssseeeeee ;sessssessssseeeeeeee eeeseeeeeeeee3$
There's vast difference between low
ing ones country and advertising ones
goods. The merchant advertises his
goods, and the editor his paper, in Or
der to make large and profitable sales.
Do we love our country for what we can
make out of itp Is patriotism merely
a matter of dollars and centsp Mr.. M.
should remember that it is the cheap
man who continually shouts his own
praise, and that characteristic which
is justly considered meretricious in a
man cannot be regarded as meritorious
in 9 nation.
Mr.. M. next accuses me of being dis
posed to dampen the ardor of our
youths and maidens; of looking upon
the black side of everything; of feeling
q desire to seek "some dark alley or
some underground retreat, and there
in solitude to mourn our inability to
correct all existing evils at one fell
stroke" Mr.. Ms accusation is not
well founded. Let "the joyous cry of
the happy throng" ascend to heaven;
but let us not forget the mournfui cry
of the oppressed. Let all who realize
"the blessings bestowed upon them by
a constitution guaranteeing equal rights
to all before the law" loudly proclaim
that fact; but at the same let us not
turn deaf ear to the groans of thous-
ands to whom the constitution is dead
letter, because they lack the means to
maintain their constitutional rights, or
10 tesI Cne constltntionaIity OF laws
which are oppressive to them. Let us
all do our best to raise our nation to
that "high ideal to which our patriotic
souls aspire;;" but let us remember that
this is not accomplished by noise and
buncombe, but rather by pointing out,
and roofing up, the evils that exist in
our midst-even as did those patriots,
whom Mr.. M. tells us we almost idolize.
Mr.. M. next indulges in a somewhat
lengthy and breezy defamation, which
his guileless soul evidently means to bua
convincing argument in favor of loving
everything that is OURS. Our homes,
our relations, our community, our
state, our nation; our colleges, our ora
tors, our politicians, our athletes, our
horses, our dogs, ETC., ETC.; are all to be
loved because they are OURSl "Any-
thing that is ours we cheer, and we do
it because it is OURS" says this self
confessed egotist. Does Mr.. M. love his
faults because they are HIS faults
Does he glory in. his blemishes because
they are HIS blemishesP Does his
soul feel elated when he hears, or reads
the nauseating details of mob violence
because HIS people indulge in such
brutal pastimes? Verify, one is tempt.
ed to believe that the greater portion
Of the grey matter under Mr.. M.'s
skull only serves to feed his pride and
vanity! It does not matter to hin
whether thing be in itself lovable OF
not; the vile becomes noble the mo
ment it passes into his possession; tn.
barren rock is changed to fruitful sol
as soon as Mr.. M. halls it as his own
We will at once assume that his hom,
and his relations are everything tina
heart can wish, and that Mr.. M. ha
every reason to be proud of them. Blu
supposing his politicians and orator
: were boodlers and demagogues-whicl
God fofefend- and his ball teams, an,
bicycle riders, and athletes, fakirs o
/, the first order, would he, knowing this
: love them, and cheer themp The sin
cere soul will only profess to love tina
: which is lovable. According to th
8 fine spun theories Of Mr.. M. truth, an
: honor, and uprightness of purpose ar
8 nothing:-if thing is ours we love i
? tho it be hateful; if 1t is not ours 1t
8 no sin to abuse it, tho it be radian
t with loveliness. And this contemr
Q for truth and justice, and all the noble
: sentiments that lift man above th
' brute, Mr. NJ. would make the sourc'
t the root, of true patriotisml Alas!
: what depth man may fall when b
d ceases to be. minded, and permit
? himself to be ruled by spleen. and Il