Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-11

Il
structure Of Cur national life always
are - be deairedz-always are being
made: but tEs prudent builder Is care
r,iI 10 strengthen the foundations be-
fore he adds TO the superstrnctufe
those massive domes which appeal TO
10 artistic sense Of grandeur but which
may, by their very weight, crush That
which they were designed TO improve.
"ro6av. politics and business are not
easily distinguished Politics has min
eled more and. m%re with tae BUSINESS
of the country until, today. politics Is
business. and the business man must
make himself mere generally felt IN
politics OF complications destructive q
fhat individual enterprise np"a @hieh
the prosperity 81 this country rests
viii rlsa and some Of this mo5e1niZea
form 1T experimental legislation prove
injurious to the well-being OF our peo-
pie.
Easy to Deceive Controlling Minority
1.-The case with which Il controlling
minority of the electorate of our eoun-
try can be deceived by men Of little
valuable experience but Of great con-
f,annce In their own infallibility makes
II the duty Of men who really do think
to analyze political problems as they
ere presented, to discover methods by
which damages inherent in SO many of
these novel propositions may be avoid
3D. ard to then see that the informal
ton of which they have possessed
themselves Is impaired to their fellow
citizens, OF less opportunities but of
no le.s sterling patriotism. whose
x,,foau ORC daaiaiVo whom the test Of
the ballot IL made.
The great bulk of our voters are
eoers. not sehemers. Their voices now
are seldom heard. The average bust
ness man finds his energies largely con-
sumee in solving The problems which
must be solved If he is To keep in oper-
atien the industry upon which 81 many
of his fellow citizens depend for their
daily bread. He has little time for po-s
litieal meditatio.s. The average EN-
ployee, pursuing the common track of
physical endeavor. labors faithfully at
his task. day after day, In an untrok-
en- effort to provide a home and COM
forts for the wife and children whom
Providence has intrusted to him, and
fer whom. To the great honor of Amer
lean manhood be ii said, he tolls un-
Ifalteringly with love and devotion un-
| til the tired hands are folded In their
last rest. He. too, has little time for
political speculation.
These men are honest. They arc in
spired by a worthy ambition to do their
part, They, are anxious TO earn what
they receive. They would knowingly
favor no legislation calculated te work
Injustice. But how are they to be
truly Informed?
the excitement Of a political cam
paign makes that time most inorpor-
tune for purposes of political eduea-
ton. All citizens have fer various rea-
sons become identified with political
parties; and during election periods Il
certain sense of party fealty dulls Inc
ear to truths unfavorable to ones po-
liticaI faith--the bulk of the voters go
with their party on election days.
A Doubtful Experiment.
ITO attempt at any time to convert
a member of another political party
is an experiment of doubtful vaiue-its
n trait OF human nature to resent be-
ing shown that 1t Is In the wrong; but
the great mass of our citizens are anx-
ious TO know the truth, and when full
| " convinced where their duty or in
terest lies will go that way. Therefore,
great value in an organization OF
this kind IS to be found in a member
ship including as many as possible OF
our citizens who keep IN touch with
political history in It's making-who
scan PROPOSED legislation for the pur-
pose of learning it's real potentialities,
L forplniatc and dis
saminate the information thus ac-
quired.
And here is where the members Oh
such an organization as this must ex-
enplify the principle upon which our
form of government rests, The very iact
| that the enactment into law of bene1ciai
ideas pre-supposes political success
which is possible only through full CO.
operation of those having the same fund
amentaI beliefs. compels such individual
| 10 develop an individuality genuine
enough 10 recognize the right of his as
sociates to hold views differing in some
respects from him and to contend TOT
their adoption; but also genuine enough
| to submit to that rule of the majority
] which alone makes effective organiza-
ton possible. 1t should be understood
that an organization like this is sort
of mental clearing house where peril
nent views may be presented. examined,
and a decision regarding them reached,
which decision should be final for all
members when outside these walls. The
advocate of what he believes to be n
great good should not imperil the ac-
complishment of what a majority OF the
| members believe to be greater goods
| by Gripping the powers of such an Or
eanization Let him submit to the ma
jority until he has convinced such ma
| jority that he is in the right. Then that
| same rule of the majority will give him
a united force TO put into effective form
the good purposes which he has advo-
| Gated.
Facts Should Guide.
Likewise these views should be pre-
| scented in this same spirit to those larg-
er political OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES re-
| membering that an acquieseence in the
rule of the majority is not only the