Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-10

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represents the baser elements of the
community. Is this a fair answer?
Has the man who disclaims any part
in the government because it is cor
rupt, and because. he. keeps as close
tc the Ten Commandments as the
statute law of the land demands, no
responsibility because he fails to do
his duty as citizen? | contend that
he who does not stand forth and do
battle for good government is very
fifty represented as Of the baser ele-
ment of the community
Citizenship in republic is a trust
We may call ii an Office of high trust,
and he who fails to perform its du-
ties worthily, or does any act against
those duties, is to put It very mildly
guilty of all the consequences OF his
conduct,
In the early days when business was
done on a smaller scale there was
time for every man to study the is
sues, and as communication was not
always easy and rapid, 1t took time
to get up a movement of importance.
While men were not as rich as at
present, there were not the marked
inequalities OF condition we now see.
Under such conditions il was very diff
ficult for a demagogue or trickster to
make Roadway with the people and
there was no serious feeling of dis
trust.
But in our day elements have come
into our lives that have caused us to
question the very foundations Of our
government.
After the American people had
brought the terrible war that threat
ened her life to a successful conclu-
sion; after we had cast cut the devil
of African slavery. We entered on a
career of prosperity so great that we
lost sight of our real welfare in the
hot pursuit of wealth till we are now
possessed of a number Of devils. and
our last state is pretty bad, if not
worse than the first state.
With the progress of inventions and
the development of our country We
had great opportunities FOR gain that
we eagerly embraced.
Development Of West.
To develop our great western do
main new railways became necessary,
and charters and rights of way had to
be obtained. The men .eho owned the
lands over which the roads rust pass,
forgetting the ultimate advantage,
held their rights of way in order to
share in the gains OF the railways. Il
is easy to see how greed fighting. greco
brought into activity class Of poll
ticians ready to serve the interests Of
those who had cash with which to pay
for service.
The building of great railways called
into existence great rolling mills and
car building companies, and these
called for men. The farmers spread
ing over the great undeveloped. coun-
try helped to swell The volume of bust
ness.
The farmers. however. early felt the
pinch of the struggle with big busi-
ress and have generally been conserv-
alive They have stuck to their pria-
ciple as long as anybody, but they
have not always been true. The spirit
Of their opposition m big business.
as represented bv the railroads, has
too often been unfair
The condition in which We find our
selves today is enc in nv onini0n tol
the departure of Americans. high and
low. from true standards OF alor2l.tY
in their political and economic rela-
tons. 1t is due to a. general accept
ance Of the idea that every dollar made
by cheating your neighbor. within the
statute law, is honorhbiy gained
We have utterly lost sight Of what
the other fellow is entitled to and have
turned our hands against our neigh
bors. In casting our votes we have
largely ceased to regard the interests
Of the whole country but have con
fined our thought to our individual il
terest.
1t was a knowledge of this fact that /
gave courage to a recent candidate for
the presidency to assert that he .'hai
no objection to = tariff il thu proceeds
were properly distributed hoping By