Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1903-09-17
Good Government
JpeVch dofiDsrsd By Hon. Joseph
~. Folk az ShsIbyViiLs, Missouri.
Safarday. september ~, 1908.

onolDg county. Inc grand jury evil
IDENTIFY could ind no wrong doing. for
no indictments were returned. At the
next term number Of citizens Of the
county were charged with betting on
horses," an Offense evidently very
common in those days. Judge from
that those early settlers were from
Kentucky or Tennessee. The county
has been remarkably free from seri-
Gus crimes, an evidence of n high or
der Of citizenship and Of good govern
ment.
Thomas Jefferson once said: 1.-THE
time to guard against corruption is be-
fore 1t shall have gotten hold of US. It
Is better to keep the wolf out Of the
fold, than to trust to drawing his teeth
and talons after he shall have en-
tered" The people must be constant
ly on the alert to keep corruption out
Whenever the people become inatten-
tive to public affairs, corruption fol-
lows as logical consequence. Under
our form Of government, all authority
is vested In the people, and by them
delegated to those who represent them
in official capacity. It is a valuable
thing to be citizen in a republic
such as ours, for each citizen Is q con-
stituent part of sovereignty. Under a
monarchy, the king Is the fountain
head of power, with us, the people are.
AS king should be careful and watch
full in the exercise of his authority, 80
should the people in republic. The
people in giving attention to public
affairs, are attending to their own bust
ness yet how careless they become
at times; how Indifferent to their own
welfare they often are. The people
are partners in the affairs of State.
Each individual has as much power in
its management as any other yet the
majority of people are neglectful of
this, their highest duty If firm is
composed of dozen men and ten of
them give no attention whatever to
the business, leaving it entirely to the
two. they cannot complain when they
awake some morning and find that they
have been plundered. When good Gift.
zens voluntarily abdicate the throne Of
American manhood by neglecting civic
duties and leave the government to the
vicious minority, they may expect to
be robbed by dishonest officials.
Thomas Jefferson wrote that "man Is
the only animal that devours his own
kind" and that "if once the people be-
come inattentive to public affairs, Con-
gress and assemblies, judges and gov
errors shall become wolves. It seems
to be the law of human nature in spite
of individual exceptions" The major
ity of officials. l believe, are honest,
else we would have anarchy. tt is
true, however, that civic evils increase
as the exercise of civic duties by good
citizens decreases.
The Indifference Of electors is the
weakness Of a republican form of gov
eminent. To arouse them and make
them realize the necessity Of exera
cising their civic duties is a matter Of
supreme Importance. The responsible
ity of citizenship is not discharged by
a vote on the day of some general cleo
ton. Every good citizen should at
not all; he should take part in the
first meeting of precinct. ward or
township where tickets for general
elections or primaries are born. Nine
ty-nine per cent of the people are hon
est. but the one per cent Of dishonesty
is perniclously active and works while
the ninety-nlne sleep. The disregard
by good citizens of their civic duties
breeds corruption by leaving the Sc
lection of those who should represent
the people, to the base and sordid.
| These demand of those elected to of.
flee that they be served even II the
public interest suffer. II the official
refuses to prostitute his ONCE for the
beneft of this class, he is put under
the ban of their disapproval and for
ever dlsbarred from holding any other
ONCE. that is. if they have their, way
about 1t.
It Is the duty Of tho State to protect
the individual In the enjoyment Of his
rights Citizenship carries with # priv
ileges. 1t is. however, a reciprocal re
lationship. The citizen owes a duty tC
the State. He must contribute TO itl
support politically as wen as financial
ly. His other civic duties are as NOR
ally binding as his taxes Patriotism
does not mean merely love Of country
In times of war There is as much
patriotism in the ballot as there Is II
the bullet The patriotism Of peace Il
as necessary to free government a
the patriotism Of war. Indeed. historl
shows municipalities are In more dan
ger In peace than in war, Where wars
pestilences and all other calamitie'
combined, have destroyed one republic
corruption has undermined a score
AS the people are partners IN tn
. State. 1t is well enough to take stool
now and then II there is anythlnl
wrong, LEI the people know It. Il I
always best TO let the people know tn
truth To show man that he he
bean robbed Is not Islander to him
You are charging the robber With al
honesty, not the robbed There ~
no more honest people anywhere tina
sINNN~esA@ee%~r4rs%e S~s~N-eNees,-
I, One Thing He Mas sure OF.
4 Old Gentleman: $50 you think 10.