The Newtown bee., 1904-11-18
ing of the corporators of St Margaret's school
SOCIAL TOPICS.
WE, THE PEOPLE.-BY o. o. WRIGHT.

WE, THE PEOPLE.-BY o. o. WRIGHT As we, the people, govern curse Ives, our elections are object lessons of the deepest significance. As we, the peo- | pie govern ourselves the kind of gov ernment we choose to have and main ! tain is pretty good clue to the sort of | people we are. A popular, national election is certainly good test of the patriotism and intelligent self-interest of the great mass Ce inhabitants. How much real patriC .Dism may have to do in the choice of l1en and princi- | pies we cannOt of course estimate; neither can we judge to what extent the majority of voters may act from intelligent Self-interest. But there is no reason to doubt that a large and controlling power, in both parties, and in all parties, is due to the real love of country, and an intelligent under standing of what will promote the general welfare of the people as a whole. Parties stand for men, for principles, and for policies of admins tration-and so far as that is con- cerned one party may be just as honest in it's convictions and methods as the other.
 The great danger in our country is that instead of governing ourselves we allow ourselves to be governed by the politicians who live and thrive by prey ing upon the government. Men, parties, principles and policies are all more or less manipulated, adapted, and even Subordinated,t to Notwithstanding game to secure the plunder and power of patronage.
 The matter of government is, at times, sort of political football, and even the betting as to which party will win may have no little influence on the game. But the people have be- come so we'll aware of the abuses which are common to great elections that they are asserting themselves and acting more and more together to pro- tect their own rights and to serve the common interests of the state and na- tiOn. The SureSt, most effective safe guard, perhaps, against political in- Intrigue and corruption, is intelligent |self-interest. The rank and file of sovereign electors are intelligent enough to perceive and understand the relations between the judicious admin iStratiOn of the government and the commercial. manufacturing and other great interests of the country. When the people are prosperous and happy because everybOd who wishes to be, is thrifty, busy and content, why should great and sudden change in govern ment be permitted to disturb and per haps destroy the conditions of success which have proved to be wise and sat- isfactory? Every year new crop of voters, born, bred and educated in the public schools of this free country are added to the list of intelligent, morally
 responsible, and truly patriotic citi- zens who will see to it that the govern | ment of the people, by the people, is | for the people, and not for the benefit of any party, nor for any set of pro- fessional politicians.
 "The voice of the people is the voice of God" There is sense in which no doubt this SayiIr., expresses a great truth. When the whole people of a great nation speak on important Ques- l general welfare, they may come as
 near, perhaps, to voicing the divine | will, as it can be uttered for them, at the time Abraham Lincoln said:
 You can fool some of the people part of the time, but you can't fool all the
 people all the time."
 The people of this country have just spoken in our great national election. | It is a comfort to know that the great
 ma jority of the voters are so patriotic
 and so intelligent. The nation is com l
 ty, intelligence, progress and Chris
 tian craftsmanship. It was not the
 mere victory of one party against an- other party. It was the votes of in-
 telligent, responsible citizens uphOlding and Supporting the principles and pol
 icies in which they believe. And l
 like to think that had the other great
 party been in power, under the same
 circumstances the result would have
 been the same,-for "wisdom is juSti-
 fled by her works.'
 There is always the hope of better
 things for us under our system of
 representative and popular govern
 menu. The whole is more than a part.
 The nation is over the state, the state
 governs the city and the town. Our
 local self-government may, at times,
 and in spots, make us both sad and
 ashamed, but tie state as whole
 will, in the long run, correct the abuse. The time is not far of when the ignOr-
 ant and the vicious will not be allowed
 and will not be able, to control the in.
 terests of any community in this land
 Patriotism and intelligent self-inter.
 est, with the help of the graveyard
 will redeem us at last.
 I