10
THE STUDENTS JOURNAL.
ONE PHASE OF HUMAN SOCIETY.
The bane of modern society is politics. Society can stand more visionaries, more enthusiasts, more fanatics, but it cannot stand more politics.
Oh, yes, I know it is said that there are great fundamental principles concerning the welfare of government, upon which men must necessarily hold different opinions. I know it is said that these principles are of such vital importance to human welfare that men must consider them of paramount importance and thrust aside all other considerations in the defense or advancement of them. But I delive that of those who make such statements, many are knowingly dishonest, and many are honestly ignorant.
Nevertheless, the statements are in part true. There are fundamental principles of government about which men must differ, and these principles may be, for all I know, of paramount importance. But the trouble lies here; no earthly man knows that the principles which he advocates are of paramount importance, be they in religious instruction or politics. And yet almost every man that ever entered politics goes about vowing by the immortal gods that he and his party are now, always have been, and will be, absolutely, wholly, and indisputably, right: and that every other party is directly upon the road to the infernal regions on account of its inconceivable corruption and ignorance.
We would have good reason for believing the second part of their statement, if it were not for the fact that we know the character of the assertor so well. We know that it would be a great blunder to stake our faith upon any of his statements, and for this reason we feel that this old world may not be in a state beyond endurance yet. Be that as it may, we know that truth and honesty have very little to do with politics, or with the advocacy of political principles. Truth and honesty are thrust aside because the political principles are of paramount importance. In order to bring about the successs of our political principles it is perfectly justifiable to misrepresent ourselves, to vilify our opponents, to disobey the laws of the state; to buy with money, a bottle of beer,or a promise,the opinions or rather the votes of the dishonest and the degraded. To be in politics is to see the honest either
become corrupt or go down amid tears and curses in the struggle for existence
There is a grave suspicion entering the minds of some, and it is with regard to the political principles. The old definition of a political principle has been taken as being some theory concerning the welfare of a government and its people This definition is begining to be discarded and now sometimes on the sly a political principle is spoken of as being an office. The spelling of the word "principle" is being changed also to principal, and the great question of politics with regard to its principals is how large an interest they pay.
Does this sound something like a fairy tale from long ago? Let us see if it is. A candidate for an ordinary county office is assessed by his party managers perhaps somewhat less than two hundred dollars. This sum presumably goes to pay the expenses of campaign speakers. It is not necessary to suggest that this money is put to a worse use, for perhaps it is not, and this use of it is bad enough, considering the kind of speeches that are made. Then the candidate himself must spend over two months of his valuable time standing on the street corners and inducing voters by various means to cast their ballots for him. If all this work were not done, would it be the principle that is deserted or the principal?
A. L. C.
With this view of politics the question of woman suffrage becomes of more interest. That, in this government, woman suffrage is right cannot be disputed, for men have no logical jurisdiction over the question of women's voting. The interesting part of the question is whether it will diminish or increase the amount of politics. If it will diminish this amount, all well and good. If it will increase the amount, let us join the shades of the departed beyond the Styx.
Notice.
To all students conditioned in Lounsbury's History of English Language
The first lecture on English Language History will be given Thursday. Nov. 22. in Snow Hall lecture room at two p. m. At that time all conditioned students who present themselves will be enrolled for the course. E.M.HOPKINS.
Go to Wilson's for your fruit.