The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-05-03


are careless in their slothfulness it is
represented by corrupt officials.
The character of government de-
Ponds entirely upon the will of the
majority, and no government is bet
ter than majority of its voters. II
each individual were to give his at
tention to the public business as his
own, which it is after all, every good
official would have behind him tho
aggressive morality of his constit-
uents and this would confront every
bad ofliciSl and say to him. No
further shalt thou GO
"To arouse good citizens and make
them realize their civic duties is
matter of supreme importance. In
a monarchy all authority is in the
crown and delegated to those be-
MEATH In a republic, such as ours
the people are sovereign.
Each man is one seventy-five mil
lionth of a sovereign. 1t may seem
small but it marks the distinction
between the citizen and the subject
All Responsible
"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 responsib-
ility now. If YOU are unfaithful in
nart, would you be more faithful
with all? He that is faithless with
a portion cannot be trusted with the
whole. If each citizen were to leave
the remedying of public wrongs to
someone else nothing would be ac-
Ecomplshed There is som etimes too
much of a disposition to allow others
to do the ace-sweating in civic af-
fairs while they do the bread eating.
sour government in theory gives
more rights than any other but some
think 50 little of their obligation to
the general welfare that they are in
different to being robbed so long as
they do not feel the affects directly
and are among the many. The sin
Of republics is lawlessncss. In a mon
archy the government is sustained by
the crown. In a republic the gov
eminent 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 sweep
ing over the land is merely revival
of the rule of the people.
"The welfare of the city or state
should always be the first and high
est consideration. Some of you may
belong to this party--some may he
long to that party, but all should be
patriots. Be patriots before you are
-,,1 l.
erage voter, you and I, are response
Bile for tha future Of this government.
If the American republic is to sur
vive it must be saved by tho efforts
! of the patriotic citizens who want
nothing for themselves, but the ad-
vantages that accrue from the gen.
eral public veal. If the public learn
to appreciate this. learn to know the
dangers that threaten our future, and
learn the strength that rests with
| the voters, the future of this govern
mcnt is assured
Not an Alainist
| Il am not an alarmist and | do not
| believe that the United States OF
! America will cease to exist a sa re-
public today nor tomorrow. We have
lasted for one hundred and thirty
| eour years--a long time when COM
pared 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 thousand years; Carthage en-
durcd as a republic for seven hum
| lrcd years, and. Athens lasted nine
hundred years, though there were in
tcrmissions during that time. Flor
ence was republic for three hun
dred years, and Rome for five hum
drcd. These governments were once
great factors in civilization, and their
citizens probably thought they would
; last forever, that nothing could over
throw them. We are likely to harbor
similar ideas and it is possible that
they will prove to be wrong.
THE conditions that caused the
downfall of those old republics, now
almost forgotten. were the same
conditions that will cause the down
fall of the American republic, if it
is not to endure. The dangers lie
| in the hearts of the people,
TOO many are indifferent and this
indifference of voters is tho greatest
menace to a republican form OF gov
crnment. Arouse the voters to an
understanding of the danger, COM
vince them that they are personally
and directly concerned, get them
moving once, and they are invincible.
But While most people are honest,
they are inactively SO, while the VIC
ious minority are pernciously active.
1t is not enough to be merely honest,
the good citizen must be aggressive
in his opposition to graft and cor
ruption. Law breakers have nothing
to fear from passive opposition, but
they must yield to active and aggres-
sive fighters. We need more fighters
in the army of peace. We must fight
for everything that is worth having,
we must fight against everything bad.
The farmer must not only be person.
ally opposed to weeds, but he must
cut them down and make an active
warfare against them, or his crops
will be ruined. In governmental af-
fairs the same relations evst between
good and evil as between the use
| full grain that must be sown and
cared for, and worthless thistles and
weeds that will spring up of their
own accord anywhere. A govern
!