Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1922-08-03

you know it as you know your pray
ers. But this way is fraught with
danger. When the time comes for you
to speak your piece you may forget
what you have to say. Another and
safer way is to learn to do your
stunt at word masonry as well stand
ing on your feet as sitting at your
desk.
Discuss Important National Affairs.
I have suggested that you make To-
cal matters the subject of some of
your editorials articles. But do not
hesitate to lay hold upon and discuss
important matters affecting the state
and nation. Only by SO doing can
you fulfil all the duties of citizen
ship. The will of the people is or
ought to be the law of the land. JUS
tice Cooley said that well settled
public opinion is common law.
That great statesman and kind
critic James Bryce, in his American
Commonwealth" pays this tribute to
the height of the ideal which the
American conception of popular rule
sets up:
"The American citizen is one of
the governors of the republic.
Issues are decided and rules selected
by direct popular vote. Elections
are so frequent that to do his duty
at them a citizen ought to be con-
stantly watching public affairs with
a full comprehension of the princi
pies involved in them and a judg
ment of the candidates derived from
criticism Of their arguments as
we'll as recollection of their past
careers"
"Such a nation" Mr.. Bryce says,
needs a succession Of men like the
prophets of Israel to rouse the people
out of their complacency, to refresh
their moral ideas, to remind them
that life is more than meat and the
body more than raiment, and to
whom much is given of them will
much be required
Much may rightly be required of
our schools as we'll as of our news
papers in the way of teaching citizen
ship. 1t is we'll to be practical, but
so much is said nowadays about vo-
cational training and the like that
there is danger of losing sight of the
highest and grandest function of
public education. That function is
to lead in the sciences, including the
progressive science of democracy,
and to spread abroad a knowledge
thereof.
Research work must not be ham,
pered even if it leads to the conclu-
sion that the tariff is tax, and an
unfair and burdensome tax; that an
cient precedence in regard to water
powers must give way to a modern
justice as applied to present day in
dustrial conditions or that a grad
uated land tax is right as we'll as
graduated income tax.
Work For Better Democracy.
I would not take one jot or one
title from that blessed volume, the
Book of Common Prayer, from which
we have learned our duty to our God
and our duty to our neighbor. But
to that portion which teaches us our
duty to our neighbor and to our
selves and to our children and our
neighbours children as we'll to apply
our hearts unto political wisdom and
faithfully perform our part in the
work of self government, to the end
that better democracy shall be
worked out among men. True
Americans have faith in the common
man and in his capacity for self gov
eminent. The common man cannot
farm out his duties of citizenship:
he must exercise them himself. And
it is our bounden duty as newspaper
men to lead the common man Alright
in political rectitude and wisdom.
And to do this you must yourselves
be men of Independent thought and
action. You cannot lead Alright by
that which is current and passing it
along, but by proving all things and
holding fast that which is good and
by impressing the good upon the
minds of others.s
Of course the right kind of leader
ship is all important. Our great re-
sponsible leader, President Wilson.
has time and again pointed out the
vital importance of responsible lead
ership. We must have, and we do
have, great leaders of political and
economic thought. What a vast
number of men has that great teach
er and thinker over there on the hill
r.. D;o6o III,