Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-11-25
TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY.

TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY.
Cincinnati, Nov. 20.-At the Vine
Street Congregational church the pas
tor, Herbert S. Bigelow, discussed the
text:
"He that is void of wisdom de-
spjseth his neighbor; but man of
understanding holdeth his peace.
Where no counsel is, the people fall :
but In the multitude of counsellors
there is Safety
Mr.. Bigelow said in part:
This is gooS doctrine for both
church and state. The strength of a
church, the safety of state depends
upon the extent to which the people
enter into their management.
Who says that our experiment In
democracy is not success2 If the end
and aim of government is to develop
men, then democracy is ordained of
God.
The true American is he who is al
ways delighted with the election re-
turns. Every election will 20 precisely
to suit him. Let the people discuss
and determine. Their responsibility
in government is their opportunity
to grow. Their government is q mir
TOR which they hold up before their
own faces In this republic they have
what they want and no American will
complain of that Their decisions may
not please the prophets, but they re-
present the people and mark their pro
gress.
We hear much these days about the
wickedness of the politicians. They
are not worse than other men. If they
seem so it is because they have great
or temptations
In the city of Cleveland, the street
car companies have been making a
long fight for new franchises. To
help them in this. the Ohio legisla-
ture abolished spring elections. If
thev could elect councilmen willis
popular interests was fixed on a presi
Dental election, they had hope If snc-
cess. What is the result? The council
stands 16 to 16 and the deciding vote
is With the chairman, an anti-rail-
road man. The people won scratch
victory and they did it by scratching.
Nearly half of the people of Cleveland
scratched their ballots-a most re-
!markable and gratifying evidence of
the increasing intell:eence and inde-
pendence CT our American citizenship.
But tremble for those councilmen.
A vote or two is all the companies
need. And franchises worth millions
are at stake. Is it not time we require
a referendum vote on all such fran
chises and save our councilmen from
such fearful temptations.
If one of those councilmen sue
cumbs, we brand him as boodler.
We seem to forget that if there is cor
ruption at the City Hall, it is because
there is something rotten in the
Chamber Of Commerce. Political cor
ruption is but the barometer of COM
mercial morals
Instead of complaining Of our self-
aggrandizing politicians, we might
with better grace repent of our neglect
of public duty. By their politicians
you may know them.
A gentleman was complaining bit
terly of the conditions Of the public
schools in Cincinnati. What he said
about them was but mild truth. But
this same gentleman confessed to g
friend that he had not gone to the
polls in our years.
This clashing of opinions and rub
hing of elbows which We call democ.
racy-what glorious thing it is. II
teaches as respect for the opinions Of
neighbors. It teaches US social grace,
that sabordination to social aim:
which is the necessary condition Of
brotherhood. To become large enough
and loving enough to live in society
of equals and cooperate for good ends
and take defeat good naturally an6
keep ones faith in the republic an6
fight on-this Is the making of ar
American citizen-the triumph of fret