The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-01-16
FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT.

The goal of better government is the
end and aim of all political contention
that exists in our city, state and ma
| tional life as we see it to-day. 1t is a
far cry that has come down through the
ages, representing alike the voices that
are heard around us and the echo that
has resounded in every place and every
age where men have struggled for in
| dividual betterment or nations battled
for civic advancement.
But it has long been the boast Of those
who live under the stars and stripes
that they enjoyed the best form of gov
eminent ever known among men-one
that gave greater freedom to its citizens
and higher ideals to guide human CON
duct than any other that has adorned
the pages Of history.
In the view of many events that have
been and are now transporting in this
country, however, wherein much of cor.
ruption has been shown to exist in high
stations of life, and more of graft and
acknowledgement in public affairs, it
may we'll be questioned whether we
have really profited as nation from
those LESSONS that the past has 50 lavish.
ly placed before US.
In the days when ancient Greece was
in the height of its glory, more than
twenty five hundred years ago, 1t was
Scion, their great law giver who dis
covered in the frequent political conten-
tions that disturbed the State that
many consulted more their own person
al comfort and convenience than they
did the public welfare and retained from
participating of taking sides in those
conten tions one way or the other. Sol
on deemed such apathy aud indifference
on the part of citizens so detrimental to
good government that he made law by
which all citizens were compelled to
take part one way or the other In all
these matters under penalty of forfeit
ing their citizenship and being regarded
as Infamous.
Now, the evils about which we in this
day and time complain are due to pre-.
cisely the same causes which elected
this action from the Grecian law giver
Men of thought and intelligence, those
who class themselves and are regarded
by their friends and neighbors as good
citizens, refrain from active participa.
ton in political affairs. This apathy
and indifference or want of moral cour-
age as the occasion may renderit, opens
the door for the bad citizens and incom-
petents to gain control over political
and governmental matters, and the re.
suits are what might have been expect
ed. Do we not need some such law as
the one that Scion made for Greece TO
correct this evil in our citizenship
Should one possess the elective franchise
who refuses or fails to exercise it for his
country's welfare? There is no higher
responsibility resting on citizen under
our government than the intelligent ex
ercse of the voting privilege. 1t is the
one distinctive act of sovereignty, for
by its proper exercise the nation lives
and moves forward to higher destiny
while failure to thus exercise it invites
political rottenness and national decay.
We are citizens of the grandest nation
that this old world has ever known,
Citizenship in this country is grander
than WAS that of ancient Rome which
was claimed to be greater than n
king and yet good citizens (O fail to
appreciate it in thousands OF instances
throughout the land.
The secret of good government is good
citizenship and this truth should be the
burden of our song until all are brought
under its benefcient rule. Under any
and all forms of government corruption
will appear when good citizens fail to
perform their civic duties Under any
and all forms good government will
follow the intelligent use of the elective
franchise. This is only another form
of expressing the old truth that Eter.
nal vigilance is the price of liberty y
The Tradesman.
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