Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-07-12

MANCHESTER. IOWA AS SECOND
elects the people it is beeauge til
people first neglect the government
The law abiding people are in tn
majority and there is ha NIly a con
4 immunity in the country OF which thi
cannot be said. They are usual
laiet though. while the lawIess ar
so-yociferctls. as to deceive many a
to their MURDER. A majority Of tn
people are honest, and want gool
government, but do not rs a rule
work for it, while the nrjleorlty ar.
perniciously active a. all tan,ss. Thu
lawless stand on the STREE ant
talk for their side, while the Law
abiding are timid and unobtrusiye
A dozen law hreakefs can make
more noise than five hundred law
abiding citizens, but they 90 MOI
count for much against t1le united
efforts of the law abiding They
are always active, however,whie the
average scod citizen becomes active
only occasionally. They Surround
an official and sing him The siren
song OF the good politics OF serving
them instead Of the public, It is
always easier for an official to
serve the gang instead Of stle peo-
PIE. Unless the official de strong
ne will be led astray. by Their allur-
ing promises.
Voters Hold Power,
A government is as good as the
average morality of the average in.
.livid,lal is progressive, and a gov
eminent is bad in proportion as the
lverage morality is low ami lethar-
gle When good citizens attend to
their civic duties, their civic energy
is represented in good offisials.
ITO arouse good citizens and make
them realize their civic dustes Is a
latter of supreme Importance
"Onr government in theory gives
more rights than any cther but
some think so little of theIr 0Dliga-
zion to the general welfare that
they are Indifferent to being robbed
80 long as they do not feel lie .ef-
fects directly and are among the
many The sin of-republios is law
essness.
The welfare Of the city and state
should always be, the first and high
SD consideration. Some CT yo-u may
belong to this party-some may be,
ong to that. party, but all should be
Be patriots before you
ire anything else.
I'm not an alarmist, and { Go not
believe that the United States of
america will cease to exist today nor
We have lasted for
me hundred sand thirty-four y-earsT
i long time when compared with
he average period ct one mans |
public activity brt short In lhe his
DRY OF. nations Venice had;za Re
form Of goyernment for
me thousand. years. and 80 Aliens
asted nine hundred years. though |
here were intermissions during thatl
ime. Florence was republic for
hree hundred years and Rome for
i've hundred. These governments
we're once great factors in s4cislllza-
ion, and their citizens probably
bought they would last 9o1e yer,
hat nothing could overthrow them,
We are likely to harbor Similar
IDEAS, and it is possible they will
rove to be wrong.
The conditions that caused the
ownfall of those old republics, now
lmost forgotten, were the same
onditons that will cause the Gown
all CT the American republic il it
) not to endure. The dangers lie
n the hearts of the people.
Indifference Mcnece.
Too many are Indifferent, and this
Of voters is the great
st menace to a, republican form of
Arouse the voters to
N understanding OF the Ginger,
onvince them that they are person
lily and directly concerned get
hem moving once and they are Irwin
ible.
There are no, 'necetss airy evils in
It is the abuses OF gov
about which all good citi-
ems have right to complain
hose who have profited by the
buses are usually the loudest in
he denunciation of those who
,oint out abuses in public affairs.
While the people are to blame
where public abuses exist, Officials
Who wink at the violation OF the
aw are nevertheless culpable- Good
overnment depends more upon the
nan behind the law than the Law
is elf.
"Civic evils cannot exist where
he public conscience is arotseE
Nearly all public wrongs grow out
t the Indifference of the people,
.'Much has been done for good
during the pastNf-ew
ears. But we should not be con
ent with what has been accomplish
d in the fights against public eyl's
There is plenty of work yet g be
lone. States, like men should never
,e satisfied, but should ever strive
or higher development.
"'The future of our government
ests upon the integrity of the citi-
zen, and upon his activity in pCblic |
,ffo;,,e Good pOyernmant mlrst- he |