PUBLIC SPIRIT 



for the welfare of the rest of us. Knowing 

 the good work they do and thinking what 

 slender thanks they get, how flippantly we 

 call them fools and knaves, groaning when 

 they convene and cheering when they ad- 

 journ, we wonder that more of them do not 

 turn plunderers, vowing to have the game 

 as they have the name. 



The crime of such slander is so much the 

 greater in that it mainly proceeds from peo- 

 ple who contribute nothing but speech 

 toward the correction of abuses, real or al- 

 leged, which they decry. The only sort of 

 political independence we can admire is 

 that which is active, brave, always abound- 

 ing in positive efforts for the betterment of 

 affairs, efforts that are truly costly to those 

 who make them. Calling names will never 

 make parties or their methods better. Even 

 to advertise beautiful ideals, unless you do 

 something to realize them, will hardly ren- 

 der you a public benefactor. 



This wholesale abuse of public men more 

 than aught else precludes us from getting 

 the very best men into office. This does 



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