The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-06-09


been at the cost of the lives. and
health, and poverty, and tears, and
degradation of the common people,
who form the staple of every nation,
the people for whose sense OF utter
loss in the presence of wars devasta-
ton no external national aggrandiz6-
ment can ever compensate, the COM
mon people whose interests are always
sacrificed at the national peril.
The people at large, in all ages, too
ignorant to know their own interests,
tor too unappreciatiye of the value OF
association for self-protection, or lach-
ing the means OF ready intercommunl-
cation. have either submitted to their
own exploitation as thing OF destiny,
or have become the unwilling instru-
ments of kingly vanity and ambition.
But the spread Of education, the IL
PRODUCTION of the newspaper, the rail-
road, and the telegraph, and the diff
| fusion Of that spirit of brotherhood
which is the finest flower OF Christian
lily, are slowly but surely bringing the
common people of all lands to the liv-
ling consciousness of their own trans
cendant dignity and worth. Under the
regenerating influence Of this gospel
of humanity, the people at large
throughout the world are realizing as
never before not only that govern
ments derive their just powers from
the consent Of the governed, but also
the not less fundamental truth that
government exists for the people, and
not the people for government; that
| the only proper concern OF those IN
authority Is, not their own aggral-
dizement or the external aggrandize-
ment of the nation, but the material,
intellectual. and moral advancement
of the common people; that no nation
can be said to be civilized until the
largest opportunity and encourage
ment for the full development Of man
hood is brought daily to the door Of
the humblest home. II is the growing
realization of the value and import
ance Of the common man that Is grad
ually permeating the cabinets OF Eu-
rope, that stays more and more tie
upIifted sword OF selfish ambition,
that builds in many lands the school
house rather than the fort. The COM
mon people, at last, the world over,
4 are coming into their own.
/ The distinct recrudescence Of the
military spirit in these days, and in
no country more than our own, while
it cannot permanently retard the on
ward and upward movement of the
common people Of the general world
marks q backward step In true civili-
zation and, so far as the socialist
party, whether in Japan, or Russia,
or the United States, presents organ
lied opposition to this most unfor
ltunate tendency, 1t deserves the heal ty
moral and material support of all pa
triots. Mars must be dethrOned, and
Minerva, the gentle goddess Of the
arts of peace must receive chief hon.
or in the councils of every nation that
would contribute to mans real adj
lvancement.
Dante made pride the chief sin, plac-
ing those guilty thereof In his lowest
hell; and, whether we believe or not
in any such inferno as Dante por-
ltrayed, ii is not unreasonable to be-
IlcNG LndL The extreme OI TeLTIDuLlOU
beyond the grave is reserved for
those wicked men who sacrifice the
lives, and health, and comfort, and
education, and refinement of the peo-
pie they govern to their own misera-
BILE pride, and reserved not SO much
for those. who do this In an age unen-
lightened by education and uninspired
Iby noble religion as for those who
do this in the full light of Christian
ity, in the midst of all diffusion OF
knowledge, in free country, and in
the exercise of governmental powers
voluntarily entrusted to them by a
confding people. Disloyalty to one {
better self Is most serious matter
but when il involves also the sacrl-
fee OF the highest interests of mil
lions of people. II assumes the pro-
portions of wrong too great for esti-
nation and invites penalties too feai
full To contemplate.
JOHN SAMPSON,
Washington. ID G..