If the ruling tendency be for honesty, these men will make that serve
their purpose, or commercialism, or expansion, or war, or peace, or
what not. There is no conviction about them. Sometimes such a man will
represent himself as a great conservative. He does this not because he
is conservative (sometimes he does not even know what that word really
means), but because he thinks by associating his name with this word
he can capture the "solid" elements among the people, business men and
the like.
These illustrations can be multiplied without limit. They are as
numerous as the "issues" which can be used to influence the people.
Beware of the demagogue in whatever guise he presents himself. Look
out for the play-actor in politics. Whether he wear the cloth of the
pulpit, the uniform of the soldier, the garment of the reformer, he is
always the same at heart, never for the people, always for himself;
never for the Nation and the future, always for power and the present.
Make sure, then, that the captain whom you elect to follow is above
all other things sincere. Insist upon his being genuine. See to it
that he is intellectually honest. I do not mean that he should be
honest in money matters alone, or in telling the truth merely.
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