But be sure to make one condition to your fealty--require
them to be honest.
"I have no time for politics," said a business man; "it takes all my
time and strength to attend to my business."
That means that he has no time for free institutions. It means that
this "blood-bought privilege" which we call "the priceless American
ballot" is not worth as much to him as the turning of a dollar, or
even as the loss of a single moment's personal comfort.
"Come down to the club to-night; we are going to talk over the coming
campaign," said one man to another in an American city of moderate
size and ideal conditions.
"Excuse me," was the answer; "we have a theater party on hand
to-night."
Yes; but while the elegant gentleman of society enjoys the witty
conversation of charming women, and while the business man is
attending to his personal affairs and nothing else, the other fellows
are determining nominations, and under the direction of able and
creative political captains shaping the policies of parties, and in
the end the fate of the Nation.
Of course that is all right if that is your conception of American
citizenship. But if this is going to be "a government of the people
and by the people," _you_, as one of the people, have got to take part
in it.
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