Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-21
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER a, 1919.
POLITICS AND PATRIOTISM.

II The true principles ANA the right
tsraGice OF American politics were
ttlever better presented than they were
spA4 Will H.. Hays, chairman Of the Re-
publican National Committee, in his
address to the Republican editors at
Springfield Friday night. II was a
party address, delivered by the head
| OF the party organization. but it was
| broader and higher than any part, as
/ bread, in fact, as the whole sweep OF
; America and rs high as the ideals that
! have made America what it il. II Was
| a party address, yet ii any Democrat
can read il without approval OF its
general principles then, we SAP there
is something lacking in his American.
ism For Mr.. Hays made very clear
| impressiveIy clear, the fact we so
often forget, that the sole purpose OF
means to an end, not an end itself.
and that unless it iustihes itself by
It's conduct and its deeds it mas talleh
i'll its mission ana is unworthy Of sup
port. We are too prone to think that
The measure Of party success is the
election OF party candidates. but that
is only the peoples commits lOn the
Thing that counts comes aiterWard 4
say that a successful political party
objective said Mr.. Hayes, is a rec
ord OF the faithful discharge OF a sa-
cred contractual obligation to the peo-
pie. There is hut one kind OF success
iul politics and that is the politics or
faithful. efficient and honest admin
istraton"
The political party is an instrument,
but who makes the instrument and
with what material is it constructed
There a much easy condemnation OF
politicians" and of practical poll
tics but who is to blame if these
| men and these methods are often not
what they should be. Mr. Hayes toid
n characteristic storya of Roosevelt,
Who when a very young man. made
ready TO attend ward political meet
! ing Some Of his family objected, tell
ins him he ought not to mix with the
class OF people he would meet there
! They are the governing class, sad
Roosevelt, and you are not, because
they viii and you won't" DISHONEST
politicians and corrupt politics would
| not exist il Tic people did not permit
them to exist # plead for patriot
ism in peace as we'll as IN war, SAID
, Mr. Hays. Let US have the partiot-
ism which moves men to make ther
! country's welfare their own business
/ ana In prOsaiC times of peace interest
themselves continually in the praCtitai
poltc6 OF thcif community. Good
government is possible in no other
' way. Government functions
through individuals. These indiyd-
uals are elected through the process,
OF practical politics, sequence which
cannot be ayoIded We can have net
ter government only if we interest our.
selves in politics. IN the selection OF
those to whom this government is in.
trusted, in having thought and voice
AZ It's operation, ana in making our
country affairs our own business.
lhat we say, is not only practical pol
RIGS, IT is practical patriotism Parties
laFo no virtue in themselves save as
they draw virtue from their adherentS
tl'riHClplns are Of no value unless they
'ate applied There is nothing sacred
In iahel Nor can government be op,
Grated by memories. A party is an
s
'ucud ones, and We can only use the
'pas' a., a stepping stone to the future
we may pe rightly proud OF It's rec
tord and draw Inspiration from its
laoHf yomenrs, but the problems or to-
,da1 Uu.t ha solved by the men Of to.
day even aS the Americans OF yester-
tG3s Owed their own problems in their
Town time.
AND These arc times Of problems
,S.ctlel Than those with which our
Nti1'rr had TO deal OF an times IN
"1I.-@.-8l al Try Is history said Ar Hays,
"Een IN" sense OF responsibility tor
lhe preservation Of our institutions
ana ilr welfare OF our people must
weigh upon thinking citizens this is
me supreme moment The problems
which are ahead are immeasurable in
'lolr rompleXity and magnitude
I'|" are they to be solved? And by
whom These are solemn questions
for thinking citizens and every cit.
zen ut the United states Of America
Should he a thinking citizen, now of all
times Ihli Is a representative repub.
Ne and ii is through our representa-
lives chosen by the processes OF
prAolltal politics that the way OF
our future must be cleared Whom
are We TO choose? And how are we
TO make sure that they are worthy
OF the trust? Everything depends up
on right answers. They are political
questions they are party questions, !
and only through party processes can
they be answered. Politics is the OK. !
preston. tho only expression, of citi. /
2enship, and citizenship Is a respon.
sibility that should walk arm IN arm
with patriotism, that abiding patriot.
ism which needs no war to arouse It, /
but is everything. The lobe-Democrat
h glad that the head Of the great Re |
publican organization has sounded |
the keynote Of the coming campaign
for hts address Is nothing less~-up0n
q harp with such strings, and with