The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-11-17
THE COMING AGE
III" 7NOtT" ""
iContInued from Pare TWol

vigilance II tne price OF HDerty
The fact lis, America is still far from
realizing Lincoln's ideal Of "a gov
eminent of the people, by the people
and for the people" We are defec-
tive In all three particulars.
We do not have a government Of
the people, for our people are not
governed. Read what Edward Box
says about American contempt for
authority. We are the most law
breaking Of all civilized nations.
Less than one in ten Of the people
who steal and murder are brought to
Justice. IL is no wonder that when
these fundamental laws are not en-
forced mobs, lynchers and bootleggers
flourish. A mountain boy was asked
why he did not set out to be sheriff
Of his native county. He replied, 81
could not get TO be sheriff without
bribery, and could not keep alive as
sheriff without going into partnership
with criminals" Here then Is the old
battlefield where men used to fight
with brigands and pirates. Good cit
liens are allowing themselves to be
terrorized. And people absorbed in
personal affairs had rather pay trib-
ute to a highwayman like Robin
Hood than make the effort necessary
to organize and put him down!
And Lincoln said we must have a
government by the people. Do we
Are we not governed by parties,
rings and bosses? Suppose in any
city one party has 1000 voters. and
the other 1901. The majority party
controls. Then the majority party is
controlled by It's caucus where only
n quarter Of its voters are present,
and these controlled by a majority.
That means that one-sixteenth Of the
voters control the city. And it is
easy TO see that this controlling six.
tenth are themselves controlled by
small group Of men called ring, and
this ring may be controlled by one
man called boss. Here we get back
to the ancient arrangement Of
tyrant governing city! Boss Cox
in Cincinnati has been as truly a
tyrant as Peisistratus was tyrant of
Athens. The only way in which we
can have government by the people
is for a large number Of public
spirited citizens to give time to pub
lie affairs, and stand ready TO act in
dependently Of all parties when nee
essary, and to adapt the policy of
the government continually TO chang
ing conditions. II you are to be one
of these public spirited citizens. you
must not be strict party man.
Hear all sides: let the party leaders
know you may bolt at any time.
Plan TO give time To the study ~
public affairs. and the organization
Of support for that which promotes
the general welfare. Remember a
r'an may be very influential without
being popular!
And undoubtedly the forms Of gov
ernment must be improved. We
have borrowed the Australian ballot
system. What other good things
might we borrow You may well
borrow other improvements from
England. and from Switzerland which
has now the most perfect democracy
in the world, besides inventing i'm
provements here on the spot And
in all this work you must expect to
be misunderstood, misrepresented, and
by multitudes Of bad people.
and good people as well.
And, thirdly, Lincoln defined our
ideal as a government for the peo-
pie. That demands an unselfish pbr.
pose in our public men. The boss
and the ring make a business Of pol
tiles; they get acquainted with every
voter, organize every precinct. shape
up every platform and ticket-for
what? In order that they and their
friends may hold the Offices. enjoy
the honors, and make money by dis.
honesty on the side. Now the ques.
ton is whether you and other good
people will put forth the effort nee
essary to organize against this ring,
not for your selfish gain. not for the
interests of any class or party, but
for the people.
For Civilized Conduct Among
Nations
And this matter of government
reaches out beyond our own country.
From early times there have been
treaties between nations, one nation