Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1921-12-09
OUR COUNTRY.

W" have in DIR Nation Tive h->t
System OF Government W.I>n has
ever been devised BY man. There
Is non" higher cr better. The In
GilSh form OF government MAY in
certain detail work better. II may
De more responsive. but our Govern
mont - the best, ly! there j mu"h
III our system HAT c"uld be made
bette. One Of the greatest truublIs
with us Is That WU have dTiltrd into
government Wcvcby We are ruled
by politicians. These politicians be
long to political parties. Political
parties are run by men for a self
serving purpose. Government by
parties is not the best Government,
but IL is all we have and il is all we
will have for many generations to
come. We can only, therefore, ac-
ccpt what we have and make the
best of it. What we need is the
awakening of the interest OF the
great masses of people TO take all in
tercSt in their government, take an
unsclfish, intelligent interest. They
should take an interest to the eX-
tent that the government would be
forced out Of the hands of polite
ians and placed in the hands Of
statesmen.
You may take the Legislatures of
the various States and Congress. as
they stand to-day, and you will find
very few real statesmen in the
whole. They are men of only aver
age ability and they arc led by a
class Of men who do the bidding or
bchcSt of some interest or other. II
is an interest, if it be only party
interest. We have no leaders. This
was shown in the administration OF
Mr.. Wilson. He was a great leader.
leader, doubtless not without his
mistakes. hui a leader who had the
whole OF the interest Of the country.
al heart. He was a man who looked
10 the interest Of all the people. This
was shown in all the legislation of
his administration as well as the
treaty Of peace closing the war. In
all, IN every thing he had the inter
est OF the people in mind. This will
50 down TO his credit. But when
MIR. Wilson was taken sick there was
not man in either house of Con-
eTcSs who could take up the leader
SNIP and carry his great work for
ward. There was no one who could
come to the aid. The work Of poll
hclans came in and they got into the
work full handed. Some of our
greatest men arc not in public life.
IN rms England puts us to shame.
ANY man can be elected to Parlia-
ment from any section OF England.
tie does OF have 10 live in anv given
section. AS it were, he can live in
one section of England and be elect
ca to Parliament from another sec
hon. II we had regulation of this
nature IN our country, we could
keep INC great men Of our country
III Office. If they were not elected
from their own State, they could be
elected from another. There are
many great men. men who have the
welfare OF the country at heart and
VINO would work for the best inter
eSl OF The country without regard 10
party. There are many big men in
inc country, who If they were i'm
congress would hold the balance of
power IN our party system and
bring about good results. Men like
1hcSc SHOULD be in Office and KEEP,
LII Office for life. The people of The
country should take an interest, q
lar-sishtcd interest and see that thi,
IS done. The founders Of our Gov
crnment did not base it on a pratis.
an bases. They, themselves. were
patriots and they worked from tho
standpoint of patriotism. We have
ioSt this merit which our forcfa,h.
crs possessed to such o great degree,
we need to regain ii. II must be
rcgained through the people. 1t can.
moi be hoped that ii will come thru
officers or politicians. il must have
ITS growth in the people. This
means all the people. Women now
have a vote. 1t means them. 1t
means training for citizenship
from .hc standpoint Of the young
people. We can not cure the evils
which have been growing for wears,
in Il day: but they need to be cured
and il will take intelligent, progress
SlVc action to bring about the rem
cdy. We need craftsmanship, con.
Aructivc craftsmanship. We need
''s'''N Iipt WHY tLIloiS our
officers Of oil classes, but we need il
in the minds and hearts Of all the
people. Government should not be
run for what can be gotten out Of it.
But it should be run for The good Of
all. This ideal, il may be, could
moi be attained, but il should be the
great aim. Government if for all the
people. To keep j! on such a plane,
it takes eternal vigilance" on the
part Of all the people.