The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-06-27

other people who want these same Of
icesf
In every state In the South we have
a battle of Office hunting politics whicn
Is as destructive. In some ways. as
battle of bullets. In every state IN
the South. in my own state IN paruoS
ular, we have built up an army OF
fee-Rrabbers and fee-chasers- THESE
men have come to think that the state
owes them a living.
The ambitious demagogue will jeo-
pardige the material interest and the
prosperity of his entire State II II Is
necessary so TO do. in order to con-
troll a convention. He will tear up ana
down the street, tanning the passions
of the people into frenzy over their
alleged wrongs. and, at the same time,
he will have a remedy that Is fooiish
and destructive. He knows in his
heart that what he is telling the peo-
pie will correct them or not correct
them. When he gets into office, II
public passions are still at white heat.
he will do what he can to put this
foolish remedy into effect.
we have this sort of men In Tennes-
see. a few. They are not common 10
the South alone. saw the same sort
in New York and Illinois. The dema-
goRue Is one Of the evils we have to
put up with in order to enjoy the
L kEDAkGT p0HCnt1 Va -
of government.
But.we can curb his power and make
him less destructive. There are so
mary things in life except politics ana
greed for ONCE. There are 80 many
| things the editor can discuss rather
than to denounce political opponent
| or sing the praises Of some man whose
cause he is advocating.
Getting things down to a material
basis, the business OF government and
| politics ought to take UP per cent.
| of our time and our effort. ! made
some calculations on this question once
and I found that personal politics con-
| sumes about per cent. of our effort.
That Is too much Of q price to pay for
the cost of government in addition to
| our taxes.
How are you going to eliminate the
| Office huclxster and politician. First,
| by being your own masters. BY being
| In the position to be always under the
political domination and control of no
clique, faction or even political party.
| OF course. the majority of US down
here are Democrats. Then let us in
our Democracy demand the highest SER
vice and the highest ability on the
| part of those who serve us.
I know little of your State laws.
| But 1 do know that in every State
there is a movement these days for
the concentration OF all elections into
one day OF the year.
suggest that you look into these
| questions, and II you would destroy
the conditions that you and / both
know are bad. teach the voter. in your
own neighborhood. each to think for
himself.
In the beginning I referred to the
position of the editor. but I want to
say, in closing. that the press of this
country will be power for good or
an inefficient force as we realize our
tremendous responsibilities and equip
ourselves to meet them.
This is fast moving age. The an
archist of yesterday Is the conssrva.
tive of today. Those who would have
been burned at the stake for Witch
craft 200 or 800 years ago, are now
claimed as the leaders OF men and wo-
men. The new OF today will be thrown
aside tomorrow. The battleship Mis-
sissippi which recently plowed the wa
tiers of that name. could single handed
and alone. destroy Cervera's fleet and
the American feet that destroyed his
fleet. without having her coat OF paint
scratched. In two years more an arm
ed air ship may destroy her.
In ten years. IL you hold a meeting
here, and should come down from
Memphis to visit you, I would probably
come overland in an airship Material
things change. The things that are
material pass away. but right and
wrong are the same yesterday, today
and forever. Truth Is immutable, un-
changeable and eternal. The same
spirit Is under the law today that
marked the ten commandments and the
sermon on the mount. Justice is the
same always. It is the duty Of every
editor to hold to this eternal principle
always and to serve It always and to
preach always the observance of the
law; to teach morality and to,-demand
for all an equal chance in life's strug-
gle.