Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-10-26

The Observer.

regulations fell from heaven, aud when
the powers of high finance were
shaken.
In mere bulk there is no doubt
greater amount of corruption in the
country to-day than ever before. Our
population is greater, our wealth is
vastly increased; while owing to enor-
mously better facilities of communica-
ton, business affairs have increased in
number, in magnitude and in intricacy.
This means that we might expect to
find corruption disporting itself on a
| larger scale than formerly. The con-
veniences of modern material civiliza-
ton have no moral quality in them
selves; they may be used for evil as
well as for good purposes, and when SO
used the result is and increase in the
bulk output of evil. Browning, in his
dramatic poem, "Fust and His
Friends" makes the inventor of nova
bic types pause doubtfully ere he gives
his invention to the world, for he sees
that what he has intended should be
an instrument for propagating truth,
may with equal ease and likelihood be
used tor speading lies.
! Printed leasing and lies
May speed to the worlds farthest corner-gross
! fable
| No less than pure fact-to impede, neutralize,
Abolish Gods gift and Mans gain!"
But though the bulk of corruption
may be greater than ever before the
Observer does not believe that corrup-
tion as a motive force in our national
life is any greater than it has been in
former times. If the indictment, "cor-
rupt and contenten" could be truth
fully brought against our national life,
the outlook would not be encouraging.
But whatever may be our attitude to.
ward corruption, it is certainly not
that of complacent contentment. The
very fact that so many exposures are
being made is in itself evidence of an
awakened public conscience and of
healthy sentiment against dishonesty.
in public or in private, in high places
or in low. If our modern facilities of
communication may be used to increase
the bulk output of evil, it is true also
that they may be used for the more ex-
tensive and thorough exposure OF
wrong. When exposure comes, the
bulk of wrong unearthed appears to be
relatively larger than in former times,
for the very reason that quicker and
wider publicity is given to it. While,
therefore, we should not seek to mini
mize or ignore the evils which are
being unearthed Ito do this is the vice
of shallow optimism, I'VE should not,
on the other hand, be too ready to take
discOuraging view of the future. IL
is just such humiliating and heart.
searching experiences as we are at
pres ent passing through, that may be
made to result in the deepening, ppri.
flying and Strengthening of character,
whether in the individual or in the na-
ton 1--WE may rise On stepping-ston
of our dead selves to higher things"
To mention but one particular, our
present humiliation may, and probab.
ly will, result in a more serious realiza-
ton of the meaning of American citi-
zenship- Our fault has been to
assume too readily that we are
equal to any task and to any RESPONSE
bility- We have rashly taken it for
granted that we can be good American
citizens without any special thought
or preparation. The Observer believes
in an extensive suffrage, but he is not
blind to the fact that the suffrage is in
danger of being esteemed too lightly
Just because it is practically universal.
We forget that there is something more
in the art of citizenship than merely to
possess the right to vote. One may
, gain the latter through the simple
formality of having a twenty. first
birthday, but the former, like the
Roman citizenship of Claudius Lysias,
must be obtained with great prize.
The Roman captain purchased his citi-
zenship with money, but the art of
citizenship can be acquired only
through earnest effort and struggle.
A citizen is a sovereign. He should
possess the intelligence, the wisdom,
the high purpose, the sacred sense of
duty and trust, the spirit OF magma
nimity, that enter into the character
of the ideal sovereign. These qualities
do not come without effort and culti-
walton. And yet, without conservation
or preparation, we have lightly assum-
ed the duties Of sovereign citizenship.
A young man who knew nothing of
automobiles, and who did not think
that it was necessary to learn anything,
hired himself out as a chauffeur. After
n short, but sad, experience, he came
to the wise conclusion that the chauf