Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-10

can, he is not my enemy, but my
friend.
The activities of politics center
about the election of candidates to|
office, and the official, under our sys-
item, represents both the party to
which he belongs and the whole body
| of his constituency He has two temp
tations to Withstand, first, the tempta
ton to substitute his own Judgment
for the Judgment of his constituents
and second, the temptation to put his
Ipeeuniary interests above the inter-
ests of those for whom he acts. Ac-
lcording to the aristocratic IDEA, the
Representative thinks for his constitu-
tents; according TO the democratic idea,
the representative thinks with his con-
lstituents. A representative has no
fright 10 defeat the wishes of those
who elect him, if he knows their
Wishes.
But representative is not liable to
knowingly misrepresent his constiu-
tents unless he has pecuniary inter ests
adverse TO theirs. This is the tempta-.
ton to be resisted--this. is the sin to
be avoided. The official who uses his
position to secure pecuniary advan-
tage at the expense of those for whom
he acts is an embezzler of power-and
an embeZzler of power is as guilty of
moral turpitude as the embezZler of
money. There is no better motto for
the public official than that given by
Solomon: "A good name is rather TO
be chosen than great riches, and loving
favor rather than silver and gold"
And there is no better rule for the
lpublic official to follow than this-to
do nothing that he would not be will
ing to have printed in the morning pa
per next day.
Betrayal is HurtfuI.
One who exercises authority confer
/ red upon him by the suffrages of his
fellows ought to be fortified in his in
tegrity by the consciousness of the fac;
that betrayal of his trust is hurtful
TO the party which honors him and un-
just to the people whom he serves, as
: well as injurious to himself. Nothing
} that he can gain, not even the whole
: world, can compensate him for the loss
t that he suffers in the surrender of d
high ideal of public duty.
? Permit me, in conclusion, TO say that
/, the nation, as well as the individual
/ and the party, must be measured by
{ its purpose, its ideals and its service
, Let him who would be chiefest among
' you. be the servant of ALL" was in
tended for nations as well as for citi
: zens. Our nation is the greatest il
: the world and the greatest of all time
s because it has rendered a larger sery
ice than any other nation is renderin:
or has rendered. 1t is giving the worl'
: ideals in education, in social life, il
s government and in religion. 1t is tn,
Il teacher of nations, it is the world!
n torch-bearer. Here the people ar,
@ more free than elsewhere to try al
e things and hold fast that which i
r good" ito know the truth and t
> find freedom in that knowledge. n
Il material considerations should blin'
US 10 OttT ldliOH ) I1llSSiOU, OF TURN III
e aside from the accomplishment of tn
# great work which has been reserve
e for us. Our fields bring forth abunt
r antly and the products of our farm
V furnish food for many in the old worlo
OF Our mills and looms supply an increa:
n ing export, but these are not our grea
Is est asset. Our most fertile soil is t
N be found in the minds and the heart
e of our people, and our most importaI
e. manufacturing plants are not our ia,
Il tories, with their smoking chimney:
s but our schools, our colleges and on
It churches, which take in priceless RAJ
It material and turn out the most valu;
n BILE finished product that the world ha
" known.
g We enjoy by inheritance, or b
choice, the blessings of American cit
III zenship; let us not be unmindful ,
i the obligations which these blessing
n impose. Let us not become so occ
/: pied in the struggle for wealth or
H. the contest for honors as to repudiat
o. the debt that we owe to those VIII