Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-10-05
THURSDAY, OCTOBER s, 1911
AN APPEAL FOR SENSE.

the average voter nowadays to assai
the character of the man in public OF
flee. Personal denunciation Is takinI
the place Of political discussion, AM
It doesn't make the slightest differ
ence whether the office-holder Is
Democrat or a Republican, he get
It Just the same. II he isn't thief
he is crooked, and If he isn't crooked
he is just slippery. ANYWAY, he is
bad actor.
The man who occupies politica
office learns pretty SOON that hii
services are not measured by meri'
or worth disclosed, but that he Will
have to stand or fall according to
the caprices OF prejudice. I'll be
damned If do, and damned II
don't" he reasons, finally, and what
Is more natural than that sooner OF
later there will grow in him a feel
ing Of antagonism toward his con-
stituency to supplant an earlier de-
termination to serve them to the
best Of his ability.
Criticism OF the character men
toned is not only unjust, but 1t Ia
cowardly. Either It is 30 general
and sweeping In its application that
no reply can be made or 1t is directed
at some one so far away that there
is little likelihood of anyone being
called to account. From this dis
lance we may safely lambast them
fellows at Washington" as tools OF
the interests" or we can condemn
the city administration at San Fran
cisco, or deplore the state OF affairs
that exists down in Georgia. Re-
duced to truth 1t is simply silly
talk.
Is anybody in LeavenwoTth go
ing to say that Jack Jeffries, regis
ter Of deeds, or J. H. Wendorff, dis
trict Judge, as representative county
officials are going to rob the county.
Certainly not.
To go a step higher, do you be-
lieve Governor Stubs or any of the
state officials would sneak into tie
state treasury and fill their pockets,
or that they would In any way betray
the public trust? You don't!
Do you believe the men your par
ty sends to a national convention are
q lot Of tricksters and boodlers? No;
you feel assured that they are going
to try to make the best man to be
found the candidate Of the national
party. v
II these men in whom you have
confidence have named man in
whom they have confidence, do you
suppose that a man as president Of
the country is going to surround
himself BY other than the very best
hdvisers he can find? OF course
not.
Then who are the rascals? Suspl-
cion Of rascality is not proof Of its
existence, though 1t seems that a
good many Of Us are determined to
regard 1t so. II you don't know,
and know II positively, that II exists,
you have no right to charge It.
Here and there you will find q
dishonest man in public life, Just
as You do in every field. But, be-
cause this is true, to declare that
o majority Of the men in public
office are unworthy Of trust--and
you'll hear It every day is to dis
play as much Justice and reason as
to brand every employe in q de-
partment store dishonest because
one Of them has stolen from the
proprietor.
Human nature as you find It in
public office is exactly the human
nature you find outside Of It. Be-
cause a man accepts q public trust
does not make him less man or
destroy his moral sense. The dis
honest man is the exception any
where and everywhere. II you can't
believe that, then you are living in
a dreary, weary world. and your lot
is no more miserable than 1t ought
to be.-LeavenwOrth Times.