mandments. So that we now see the bounds of theft and robbery defined to the
Hmits of a hair's breadth; and the tax payers compelled to support men to pre-
vent short weights in every commodity, to prevent adulterations of every article
of food that can be mixed, watered, sanded, diluted, or substituted. And with
all the acumen of reformers, and the vigilance of honest voters, the purgation of
cheats, frauds, and mountebanks has so far failed to reach that last refuge of the
rascal — the patriot that buys his way into the United States senate.
Sixty years ago the banker, manufacturer, tradesman or farmer would have been horrified at the idea of a public officer set to watch his dealings and compel him to be honest. And in those halcyon days no voice or suspicion was ever raised or needed to be, that any public official was anything but the honest man his neighbors took him to be. There was not then any Aldriches in the United States senate voting millions of dollars into their private purses through tariflf taxes upon their neighbors; and there were no diletante golfers disgracing seats alongside of Daniel Webster, Henry Clay or honest old Tom Benton.
These observations do not apply any more to Portland than to other cities — not even as much. Look at old Virginia, when a colony of farmers, producing George Washington, Thomas Jefiferson, John Marshall, James Madison, James Monroe, Patrick Henry, John Randolph, "Light Horse Harry" and Richard Henry Lee. The world never before, or since, beheld such a group of intellectual giants. Every man of them reared on a farm. What is Virginia in the national councils today ? Nothing ! The same may be said of Massachusetts and any other of the eastern states. Ohio and-Io-wa are about the only states that can make tolerable comparisons of the present with the past ; and both states are very largely a state of farmers, small traders and artisans. New York with all its millions, has nothing to show but Roosevelt and Hughes. To be sure, there is Rockefeller, Morgan and Carnegie — but they will never be enrolled among the patriots or the saints.
That was a favorite piece of declamation among the boys and girls at the coun- try log school houses sixty years ago, where Edward Everett tells the American people, "We must educate, we must educate, or perish by our own prosperity." Edward Everett was the most perfect and conspicuous example of not only all that collegiate culture could do for a man, but he had, from favorite fortune been able to add thereto all that foreign travel and distinguished associates could con- fer. And he was the best specimen of the conservative statesman prominent in the public affairs of his era. He was willing to temporize with slavery in the south, even when Whittier's lines were burning up the fame of Webster, and Phillips and Garrison were shaking the fabric of national peace with their thundering appeals to the conscience of the people. How much of this character Everett owed to his inherited temperament, and how much to the environment that made him the polished man of letters it is useless to guess. He was a type of a large class of men who trusting more to books and colleges halted and hesitated to grapple the monster that threatened national unity to preserve national disgrace. In that supreme trial of all that was good, grand and heroic, in the patriot, the man who came to the front to save the nation knew nothing of collegiate culture, or even the advantages of the common schools. The character which placed him next to "The Father of His Country," was of the heart and conscience, rather than of the head or of culture, and education.
It was from principles of action rather than ability to act. The uneducated man with right principles is a safer citizen than the man with all knowledge and education, and no principles. "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right; stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong."
Upon that platform the people gave Abraham Lincoln their supreme unre- served confidence and support. And with that principle, made the rule of action of every boy and girl, the city will be safe, clean, honored and prosperous for all
THE GLASGOW VOTER
(Scotland)
My city is governed by the Council and my ballot contains just the single office Councilor from my ward. I have one man to choose and it's so easy for me to itnow what I'm voting for that I never get buncoed. That's why Glas- gow is the best governed city In the world.
THE DES MOIXES (IOWA) VOTER
My city is governed by a commission of Five, and my ballot contains just those five offices. I have just five men to choose and you can't fool me into voting for a man I don't really want. No long ready-made tickets for me — I'm boss myself with this Short Bal- lot, and the politicians in this town are out of jobs.
THE PORTLAND. OREGON
