The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-23

being represents nothing but the
Lo4ndatlon, and that the foun-
odtlon, though indispensa BILE, is
worthless unless upon it is raised the
superstructure of a certain qualities
Wnicn we in democracy are prone
10 admire in and of themselves, which
ousnt py rights to be judged admira BILE
or the reverse solely from the stand
point or the use made of them. Fore
most among these 1 should include
Two Two, we very distinct gifts-the gift Of
tory: Money-making, the money
touch' have spoken of above.
Essential Qualities.
II rs quality which in a moderate
degree Is essential. 1t may be useful
w s,a developed to very great de-
controlled by other qualities; and
without such control the possessor
tends to develop into one of the least
attractlVe types produced by a mod
ern industrial democracy. So it is
with the orator. 1t is highly desirable
that a leader of opinion in a demo-
cracy should be able to state his views
clearly and convincingly. But all that
community is to enable the man thus
to explain himself; If it enables the
orator to persuade his hearers to put
raise values on things, it merely makes
MIN power for mischief. Some excel
lent public servants have not the gift
at all, and must rely upon their deeds
to speak FOR them; and unless the ora
tory does represent genuine convic-
t1on' based on good common sense and
able to be translated into efficient
performance, then the better the ora
tory the greater the damage to the
public it deceives. Indeed, it is a sign
of marked political weakness in any
commonwealth if the people tend to
be carried away by mere oratory, If
they tend to value words in and for
themselves, as divorced from the
deeds for which they are supposed to
stand. The phrase-maker, the phrase
monger, the ready talker, however
great his power, whose speech does
not make for courage, sobriety, and
right understanding, is simply a nox-
ious element in the body polite, and it
huence over them. To admire the gift
of oratory without regard to the NOR
al quality behind the gift is to do
wrong to the republic.
Power of the Journalist.
OF course all that say of the ora
t tpr appnes with even greater force to
the orators latter-day and more in
huent1al brother, the Journalist. The
power or the Journalist is great but he
is not entitled to respect nor admirat-
t u because OF that power unless it
is used Alright. He can do, and he
often does. great good. He can do,
ana ne often does. infinite mischief.
All Journalists. all writer's. for the
very reason that they appreciate the
VAST possibilities of their profession,
should bear testimony against those
who deeply discredit it, OHenses
against taste and morals which are
bad enough in a private citizen. are
INFINITELY worse if made into fnstru-
ments Tor debauching the community
through newspaper MendacitI,
SANDER, sensatfonalism, inanity, vapid
tr1vfality, all are potent factors for the
debauchery Of the public mind and
vicious writing, that the public de-
mands 1T and that the demand must
be supplied, can no more be admitted
than If it were advanced by the pur-
Veyors OF food who sell poisonous
authorizations.
In short. the good citizen in a re-
public must realize that he ought to
possess two sets of qualities, and that
neither avai1s without the other. He
must have those qualities which make
for efficiency; and he must also have
those qualities which direct the eff
fciency into channels for the public
good He is useless if he is inefficient.
There is nothing to be done with that
type of citizen of whom all that can
be said is that he is harmless. Virtue
which is dependent upon a sluggish
circulation is not impressive. There is
little place in active life for the tinnid
good man. The man who is saved by
weakness from robust wickedness IS
likewise rendered immune from the
robuster virtues. The good citizen in
a republic must first of all be able to
hold his own. He is no good citizen
unless he has the ability which will
make him work hard and which at
need will make him fight hard. The
good citizen is not a good citizen I'M
less he Is an efficient citizen.
Proper Use of Talents.
But if a mans efficiency is not guild
ed and regulated by a moral sense,
-, a%cS 10 &C. y,
he is, the more dangerous to the body
polite. Courage, intellect. all the
maSterful qualities, serve but to make
a man more evil if they are used
ment, with brutal Indifference to the
rights of others. It speaks i'll for the
community if the community wor-
ships these qualities and treats their
whether the qualities are used rightly
or wrongly. 1t makes no difference as
to the precise way in which this sin
lister efficiency is shown. 1t makes no
difference whether such mans force
and ability betray themselves in the
career of money-maker or politician,
soldier or orator, journalist or popular
leader. If the man works for evil,
then the more successful he is the
more he should be despiSed and con-
demned by all upright and far-seeing
men. To judge a man merely by sue
cess Is an abhorrent wrong; and II the
people at large habitually so judge
men, If they grow to condone wicked
ness because the wicked man tri-
umphs, they show their inability to
understand that in the last ANALYSIS
free institutions rest upon the char
acter of citizenship, and that by such
admiration of evil they prove them
selves unfit for liberty.
The homely virtues of the household
the ordinary workaday virtues which
make the woman a good housewife and
- a
hard worker. a good husband and faith
tr, good soldier at need. stand at the
bottom of character. But of course
many others must be added thereto II