Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30
Sunday Morning Talk.
The Good and Bad of Politics.

Inc OOOd ana BAD OF Politics.
Whether we. like it or not politics is
forced upon our attention this year. To
escape it. we should have to avoid the
daily papers altogether. and all inter-
course with most of our fellow-men.
Some one raised the point the other day
whether the papers were not overesti-
mating the interest of people in general
in the presidential campaign. which,
after all. this critic said doesn't take
much of the time and attention of the
average man. We shall all probably have
our bread and butter after next Novem-
Der. The wheels of industry will con-
tinua to revolve no matter which side
wins. and the country is not likely to go
to the bow-wows in any event.
For the fuss and feathers of campaign
the manufactured shouts. the palaver and
barney, the unnecessary red tape i'm the
way of notification committees; for the
MISREPRESENTATION of the other side. the
appeals to partisan prejudice. the crooked
turns and deals we have no use. But
rightly entered into and carried on a
political campaign may be a source of
lasting benefit to the people of great
free and responsible nation like ours.
widely distributed. What an encourag-
ing word that was which was announced
here the other day to the effect that
never before had there been such a popu-
lar demand for copies of the platforms and
for other literature setting forth the
positions and the intentions of the vari-
GUS parties. This means that brass bands
and torchnght professions are to claim
only small part in producing the final
results. and that the quiet thinking of
millions of voters will turn the scale.
Never before were the American people
in every section of the land as we'll quail
fled to pass sober judgment upon the is
sues-nOt that they have all become eX
pert students of social and economic ques-
tons: but the public schools. the press,
the reading circles. the summer educa-
tional assemblages have for years been
putting vast amount of information at
the disposal of the plain people. The
democratic form of government succeeds
best when the people read and think and
discuss as they are doing in every ham,
let today. 1t means In time tn end of
the domination of the boss.
And that brings us to the second cheer
ing characteristic of this campaign. and
that is its forward look. Ultra-conserva-
tives may complain of the spirit of I'M
rest and agitation that is so strong al
most everywhere; but it is a part OF the
providential movement of our time. No
party has dared to go to the people this
year on anything but a fOrward-lOOking
platform. and with any candidate but a
genuinely progressive man. Not that
radicalism is in the saddle, but neither is
conservatism. We are all for a better
social and Industrial order. better
framework of government. better
America.
For the fundamental issues in this cam
paign involve not merely the success of
this or that party. but the continuance
Of what has been best in our history and
the further extension of liberty. order.
justice and the blessings that ought to go
with human life in this most glorious Of
all centuries. The great majority of the
men who vote next November will cast
their ballot not at the demand of a party
chieftain, but because they honestly be-
lieve that the candidate and the party
that they support will help to advance
the new era of fair play and brotherli-
ness. A larger number of persons are to
be found in this country today than ever
before who wish that the greatest good
may come here on earth to the greatest
number.
So, then, 1t Is a campaign to be deeply
interested in; but not one in which to
traduce the members of the opposite
party or to impugn their motives. 1t is
a campaign In which to keep OPEN
minded. alert, friendly, and above all
confident that it is helping to bring about
the universal reign of peace and good
will-that blessed era concerning which
the angels sang carols so many years ago
over Bethlehem's plains.