The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-02-22
Rotary

w dSnIuBGOH, L. u AS the SICK
man, discouraged, becomes the easy
prey of the quack, so the citizen, dis
contented, becomes the ready mark of
the demagogue. Don't let your dis
content lead you to blindly follow one
method. They paint sympathetically
your suferings, which are real, in
order to win your confidence in their
remedy, which is generally chimer-
ical"
The speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives, Frederick H. Gillett of
Massachusetts, makes this statement
in the course of a brief message to the
people of the United States today,
through the Rotary Clubs Of the coun-
try, on the subject Of the individual
citizens responsibility for legislation.
In twenty-seven countries of the
world ninety-thousand Rotarians are
this week carrying on a gigantic cam
paign to set before the people of the
communities in which they live the
responsibilities Of the individual citi-
zen. The campaign is incident to the
annual observance of the founding of
the first Rotary Club in Chicago Feb
ruary 20, 1905, and is designed to be
a demonstration of the sort of COM
munity service Rotary has been organ
lied to do.
In each country where the campaign
is in progress messages on the respon-
sibility of the citizen for the various
branches of the government are being
relayed to the citizens of those coun-
tries from the heads Of the various
branches of government. The mes
sages do not concern political parties
or controversial questions. In the
United States the messages follow the
outlines Of representative government
laid down in the Constitution. Pres
ident Harding has sent out the mes
sage on the individual citizens re-
sponsibility for the execution of the
laws of the country thru the proper
choosing of executives and backing
them up in their efforts to administer
the duties of their offices. The speak
er Of the House of Representatives
speaks on the individual citizens re-
sponsibility for legislation and the
Attorney General of the United States,
Mr.. Daugherty, is the author Of the
message on the Individual citizens
responsibility to the courts.
The full text of Speaker Gillett's
message follows:
House of representatives.,
Washington, D. c..
To International Rotary:
The individual citizens responsible
ity for legislation is mainly indirect.
We are not democracy; we are a
republic. We elect representatives to
legislate for us. And the first duty
and responsibility Of the citizen to-
wards legislation is to select well his
representative, to discriminate wisely
between those candidates who seek to
fatter him by pandering to his tenn
porary whims, and those who seek to
serve him by honest and intelligent
independence.
The other chief responsibility of the
citizen is to keep informed on ques-
tions of legislation. That every cit
izen should master every question that
will veA our national and state legis-
latures no one will claim. But if you
live up to your responsibility you will
not only scfutinize the character and
ability of every candidate, but you will
inform yourselves on the vital prin
ciples at issue in each election.
Yet.in drawing your conclusions you
should not be too assured. In this
enormous country of ours with its
sectional differences, it's racial pre-
JUDGES, and it's class jealousies an
unbiased and all embracing vision is
difficult. Don't assume that all legis-
lation which seems to favor your spec
ial interest must be right, or must be
permanently beneficial even to you.
Because you run an automobile don't
think every scheme for good roads is
wise. Because you believe education
is of prime Importance don't conclude
that every measure which it's friends
suggest is judicious. Try to look on
all sides. When keenly conscious that
wrongs exist it is natural to support