The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-02-09
THE PUBLIC CONSCIENCE.

The public conscience is but a COM
pOsite photograph of the private con-
sciences of individual citizens. writes
Gov. Thos. R. Marshall, of Indiana, in
6le National Monthly. It's makeup
is determined by the number subject
ing themselves to the camera. Every
man who reads, every original think
er and every one publicly expressing
a view, is an exposure. 1t is said that
corruption wins more than honesty,
and the individual conscience, when
not engaged in passing Judgment upon
public or private conduct, may be said
to be right. This is clearly demon
strated by the applause, which, in
every theater is accorded the hero,
and the kissing which follows the
conduct of the villain. 1t is not diff
cult to regulate other peoples con-
duct, or to obtain a right expression
as to their conduct.
All life appears to be periodic.
grade movement. Yet, ever, there is
an advance, however slight, from year
to year. Every phase of life is like
the pendulum of a clock. 1t swings
through it's arc from ultra conserva-
tism to ultra radicalism, and unfor-
tunately, if it paused at the golden
mean, time, SO far as it's record is
concerned, would he no more In the
municipality and in the nation we
have these periods of great public
awakening, and the conscience of the
people discloses only the fairer fea-
lures of the individual. There is such
period now in American public life.
The public conscience approves and
demands right things and right men.
This is good; this augers well. Do you
ask me will it be vitalized in legisla-
ton and public ---e? My answer is-it
depends. Sin is too much what the
other fellow does. Orthodoxy is my
doxy; heterodoxy is your doxy." 1t is
easy and satisfying to applaud the
hero and to hiss the villain 1t is not
easy to admit that you may lie the vii
lain and he may be the hero. Democ-
racy stands for equal and exact jus
tice to all men, and special privileges
to none. Off go our hats to the senti
ment and we beam with satisfaction
over the thought that we believe in it.
But suppose the disqualification of the
conscience into law and business
should lessen dividends, decrease in
comes, lessen the value of dollar, in
crease the value of man-then, is
there not danger of a new public con-
science? May we not be compelled to
close our theaters, to lose our heroes
and our villains, to take new photo
graph wherein may appear the keen
eye of the man who feels that he can
look after me better than l can look
after myself, and the pallid face of
the man who feels that it is perhaps
better to be looked after by some one
| else than it is to take poverty
| chance?
The trumpet call of public con-
science today is not to the meek and
the lowly. tht to the high and the
| mighty. Since the world began, bust
ness and wealth have had no such op-
portunity for the angel of the Lord to
write their names down beside that of
Abou Ben Adhem as they have just
now. There may be lessening Of divi-
dends. they may not he able to drive
so many men if they listen TO this
conscience. but in listening to it, they
will behold miracle, and that mira
Gle will be that those whom they used
to drive will, under the changed con
ditions follow them gladly. The world
must be led. The hour has almost
gone when it can be driven.
Happy the democrat who, in the
hour of peace will sacrifice some
what of his power not for the larger
Int for the common good. These men
can make the ideals of the republic
real if they will. Let them try the
yoke of brotherhood and if they do
not find the yoke easy and the burden
light, it will not be hard to discard it.
l plead for this because, Just now it is
the public conscience; unheeded. it
VIII become the public wrath.
|