The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-05-18
"vox poPuLr vox DEL"


'The voice of the people Is the
voice of God" The truth of this trite
axiom comes with peculiar force
when 1t Is applied to the expression
of a people possessing the free in
situations characteristic of this coun-
try. The voice of the people is uni
versally paramount in all affairs af-
fecting the veal or woe of our COM
mon country, of its several common
wealths and of the cities in which
the people may reside.
There is, however, but one authen-
ticated instance in all history in
which God used the voice of an Ass
as q medium through which to COM
municate with man. Therefore.
while asses have continued to bray
since the time of Balaam, the people
are rarely mistaken regarding the
quality of their utterances. Neither
is the voice of a demagogue usually
accepted as expressing the will
of the people.
A demagogue is one VINO endeav'
ors to curry favor with some partic'
ular portion OF the people by pander'
ing to their prejudices and by play
ing upon their passions. He Is one
who seeks to array the employs
against the employer. labor agains
capital, and the individual agains
the corporation, and is well content
ed to betray those who are Temporal
rily beguiled by his artifices, II onl,
a slight injury results to thoss
against whom, his shafts Of malic'
are directed.
He is one who in an argumen
substitutes personalities for tn
question at issue, utilization for log
ic and innuendo for fact; He Is ais
one who recognizes the highest orde
of wit in the obvious distortion of
name by a refractory linotype ma
chine: for, as Robert South, notes
English divine has said. IAN insig
naficant word in the mouth of dem
ttsgoeue- Is a dangerous and deceitfu
weapon"
f-But while both of the instrument
, referred to above airs rejected by tn
people as mediums through which L
communicate their will, II would b
, an error to assume that they are de
void of utterance In this representa-
tive country, two methods Of genera
> expression are in favor. One Is b
: means of the ballot, and the othe
S Is through the chosen representative
: of the people.
b The people of Paducah realize tina
. a psychic moment has been reache
In the affairs of their city; that tn
very air Is charged with the spirit
civic improvements. The chrysalis
about to become a butterfly. Tn
y town of Paducah is about to becom
the city of Paducah. During tn
process of transition or evolution, m;
ny important matters will come b
k fore the people for consideration
> addition to those connected with Il
source of supply of water and ligh
The vital question of today In r
/ ducah is that of sanitation; the ne
Is the improvement Of Paducah
q streets and the Inauguration OF
/ park system that will appeal to Il
l. pride of every citizen. All prelude
e passion and personalities should
y eliminated from the discussion OF u
e various methods whereby these II
e proyements may be secured to Pad
'e cah at the earliest moment. In u
70 most economical manner and in u
% most effective form.
L Instead of hindering or retardii
'e In any degree complete expressi'
, from the people OF Paducah with
u gard TO their wishes in connecti'
l. with the improvements mentions
70 above. including public ownership
IL water works and commercial hg
4 plant, | pledge myself to use eve
a effort to the end that they may ha
20 proper opportunity to expire
Is themselves fully and completely
70 to what manner and in what degr
l. they desire these Improvements ca
Ie ricd into effect.
d have complete confidence tn
We when a decision is arrived at. after
re careful consideration Of all phases
" the existing necessities OF Paduca
v that the result then obtained, W
D. parrake so much of the wisdom
u Dsjfy that IL will AFFORD renewed Il
10 timony to the truth Of the grand
lg axiom. that the voice OF the people
u indeed the voice of God.
ly mo ...-. EARL PALMER.