Evening journal., 1903-06-17

cause you are out OF college. In addi-
tion To studying the literature of your
own calling. make IL your daily task to
read some good work OF history. philos-
ophy, science or romance. Keen your
dictionary ana your books OF reference
by you and never pass by a word with
out knowing its exact meaning. A few
minutes a day ana every day win keep
you abreast Of the world. enlarge your
understanding, strengthen your judg-
ment. and elevate your character. Let
me remind you again that there are
no mysteries in the practical affairs Of
/ life In these modern days everything
II brought within the realm of the
known. and TO live In ignorance Is to
/ live In disgrace.
Against Secret Societies.
Avoid secret societies and meaning
less associations The day for such
things has long gone by. They are un-
necessary and expensive. Let no man
determine your relations with those
about you. Choose your own associa
tions and select your own way careful
ly. judiciously and clrcumspectly; then
pursue II openly and manfully IN the
sight of all. You can rest assured that
what needs to be concealed or kept se-
cret, ought I'm the long run TO be avoid
ed. know OF no safer rule than thls
By when to test your daily conduct.
IN you cannot tell your father, mother
brother, wife or friend fully and falrly
what you nave done or what you think
OF doing, you are already in trouole. and
sooner or later your character must suf-
fer accordingly.
The simple rules which / have indi-
Gated FOR you as a member OF society
are at the bottom of those which should
govern your conduct as "a member Of
the body polite which comprises an the
| people. The State includes everybody,
but its government is carried on by a
limited number known as citizens who
exercise their functions through the
ballot generally for the limited purpose
/ of adopting fundamental laws or a
constitution of government and choos-
ing the civil officers 10 carry IL on.
| Politics in its broader sense Is "a word
| which signifies public business. but IN
"a narrower sense Il Is confined TO the
selection of the public officers. In its
broader sense IL concerns the social and
material welfare OF every human being.
Every human being Is therefore vitality
Interested In the honest intelligent and
economical conduct Of the public busi-
ness. and every citizen acting for HIM
self his family and his neighbor, IS I'm
duty bound not only to use his vote
whenever there Is an election but to
prepare himself TO use II intelligently
and honestly. without bias or prejudice,
solely for the public good. Every citi-
zen should know the Constitution OF
his State and of the United States he
should study the public questions OF the
day. he should attend the elections IN
every stage; he should go TO the pub
lie meetings and vote at the primaries
as well as at the general elections II
makes but little difference to what
party he belongs. Parties are but the
elementary machinery OF government.
They grow and decay with the times.
They arise and pass away as great
questions are discussed ana settled.
They have no permanent place In the
law and therefore no sacred or impre-
scriptable right to the support of the
citizen They are mere organisms for
the settlement OF policies, the selection
OF officers. and the influence OF legis-
lation. When they perform any OF
those duties badly or corruptly. they
should be beaten, purified and reor-
ganized.
Politics and Corruption.
Moreover 1t should be observed that
government by party which Is "a COM
paratively modern growth, is hardly to
be regarded as the last or best product
of human wisdom. II serves It's
purpose now, but viii doubt
less give way IN the course of time TO
which will IN practice give better and
better results. Meanwhile IL Is safe TO
say that; That party is best which
puts the best men I'm Office, and il is
stin safer TO say that: That party or
candidute for Office. which uses money
to buy votes or TO carry elections Is
surely sapping the foundations uf pub
lie virtue ana working TO overthrow
Government Of the people, for The peo-
pie, by the people"
In the Providence OF God and the
evolution OF mankind, the time may
come when wealth and the power TO
buy votes may be 20 concentrated in
the hands OF the virtuous and eight
ened that elevation to office by pur-
chase may become the best means OF
securing honest ana capable officials,
but the day is not yet AZ hand norwill
Il come In your time or mine. Mean
while the man who asks you to sell
your vote or to help him buy anothers,
or TO cheat at the polls. is not better
than the man who steals your prop
, erty or asks you to help him crack your
neighbours safe. II IS conceivable that
"a candidate may secure an office by
fraud. and yet act honestly In II. but
d you can safely assume That he will buy
votes, or commit a fraud against the
laws of the land, win not long with
stand the temptation TO sell his own
vote, or to use his influence for cor =
rupt purposes, no matter how high Ills
station Such transactions are always
: conducted in secrecy. and the rule holds
good in them as well as in all other
business, that whatever needs TO be
. concealed needs 20 be avoided. Ex-
. periCnce teaches us that while the Vi
/ cious and corrupt may Withstand the
temptations of others nobly they are
surely to yield to their own. The only
safe rule is not to trust them in posi-
u ffnnc of hnt,nr. aud aur,oftcfhflffrr