Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1911-03-10
rorrupt officials.

corrupt officials.
The character of government
depends entirely upon the will Of
the majority, and no government is
better than a majority of its
voters. If each Individual we're TO
give his attention TO the public
business as his own, Which it is
after all. every good official would
have behind him the aggressive
morality of his constituents and this
would confront every bad. official
and say to him mo further shalt
thou 60"
To arouse good citizens and make
them realize their civic duties is a
ma tier of supreme Importance.
In a monarchy all authority is in
the crown, and delegated to those
beneath. In a republic such as
ours. the people are sovereign.
Each man is one seventy FIVE
millionth OF a sovereign. II may
seem small, but it makes the
distinction between the citizens
and the subject.
Some of you may think if the
government were left entirely to
you, public evils would not exist.
But you have a portion of the
responsibility now. If you are
unfaithful in part would you be
more faithful with all? He that
is faithless with Il portion cannot
be trusted with the whole. If each
citizen were to leave the remedying
of public wrongs to someon ne else
nothing would be accomplished.
There is sometimes too much Of
a disposition to allow others TO
do the face-sweating in civic
affairs while they do the bread
eating.
Our government in theory gives
more rights than any other, but
some think so little Of their
obligation to the general welfare
that they are Indifferent to beirg
robbed so long as they do not feel
the effects directly, and are among
the The sin of republics in
lawlcssness. In & monarchy the
government is sustained by the
power of the crown. In a republic
the government rests entirely on
the law which a majority of the
people make for themselves. The
reign of law means the rule Of the
people. The moral revolution that
is now sweeping over the land is
merely a revival of the rule Of the
people.
The welfare of the city or state
should always be the first and
highest consideration. Some of
you may belong to this party some
may belong to that party, but all
should be patriots. Be patriots
before you are anything else. The
people-the average voter, you
and | are responsible for the future
of this government. If the Ameri.
can republic is TO survive il must
be saTed by the efforts Of the
patriotic citizens who,want nothing
for themselves bat the advantages
that accrue from the general public
veal. II the public learn TO ap,
preciate this, learn to know The
dangers that threaten out future
and learn the strength that rest.
with the voters. the future Of thi!
government is assured.
am not an alarmist and | dc
not believee that the Unitcd'Statcs
OF America will a to exist as q
republic today nor tomorrow. We
have lasted for one hundred anC
thirty-four years-along time wher
compared with the average period
of one mans public activity, but
short in the history of nations.
Venice had a republican form OF
government for one tfousa nd
years; Car thage endured as a
republic for seven hundred years.
and Athens lasted nine hundred
years though there were inter,
missions during that time. Florehcc
was a Republic for three hundred
years and Rome for five hundred.
These governments we're once
great factors in civi lization. anC
their citizens probably thought they
would last forever. that n0thinf
could overthrow them. We are
likely to harbor similar ideas. ari
II ie tgeciblp thou u4;1I ,,,,a a. l..