The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-05-11
Those Who Govern Must
Know How to Govern.

It is presumed that the people are
still capable of self-government; still
learn a little of politics each day;
sui may be trusted to do the right
thing in the long run. The fact that
| illiteracy grows less year by year is
a safe guaranty that the masses are
growing better qualified to perform
tie sovereign obligations imposed up
or them by our form of government.
iiut there is food for thought in the
following from The Times Union:
Grave and reverend senators are
now explaining the fundamental prin-
ci9Ies of political economy, such as
the teachers o. the public schools ex-
pound to the primary classes, and
tAe voters of great country listen
t3 tfeSe lectures as to something new
and strange. Can it be true that these
voters are really fit for the duties
thrust upon them?
This opens up a vast field for re-
ficction. And reflection well directed
by wide-awake men will evolve bene-
ficent action.
As the country grows more popu-
l0us, more wealthy, more widespread
IN its participation in the affairs Of
the world and in its influence upon
the trend of universal history, the
people who govern its politics must
ever increase in political knowledge
ard be ready to meet, grasp and set
tie wisely the new issues which will
present themselves.
Our contemporary speaks of fun
damental principles of political econo-
ny. such as the teachers of public
schools expound to the primary
classes" Would that these PRINCIPLES
were more taught, and better taught
than they now are, to all classes.
primary, intermediate and senior in
every school in the land. We often
temcsn the fact that in this respect
the education of the growing genera
tons is shamefully neglected. They
ere not sufficiently drilled in the
American theory of government nor
Instructed in the system of political.
economy, naturally springing there
frCm.
II was not so long ago that we felt
called upon to criticize the Manufac-
tltcers Record, of Baltimore, and The
News, of birmingham, for their ex-
t:aordinary position with regard to a
general interest in politics on the part
of the people. Each of these pubIica-
tons expressed great satisfaction that
in certain localities the people were
letting politics alone and attending
altogether to business-to money
making
How absurd was this postulate! In
other words, the people, the masters
of the government, those responsible
for the welfare of the state and ma
ton would do we'll 10 become poIiti-
cal ignoramuses and exercise their
highest Junction Of citizenship COM
pletely in the dark Could anything
be more Tepugnant to a proper con-
ception OF the duties of citizenship
Could anything be more certain to
leave the government at the mercy
of selfish, designing and ambitious
demagogues and finally land it a shane
less wreck upon the rocks of the fu-
ture?
No sane man can possibly DENY
that the Perpetuation of the republic /
in its full power depends upon the
way in which the people shall in
form themselves or be instructed in |
its vital principles as well as in. the
issues which arise from time to time. |
And, this can only be brought about
by the fullest and freest discussion
by voters of all questions and by the
careful training of our youth in those
fundamental principles % political +
spoken of by the Times
Union.
Teachers should bear this in mind
when preparing themselves at normal
SCHOOLS and colleges. A great respon-
sibility rests upon them as instructors
Of the future American, but perhaps
the heaviest portion of this response
oility consists in training their
zh2rEas To Rerform their duty as Citi-