TEACHING THE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY
In a country like ours, there is a public opinion of almost uncontrollable power. The educated and the intellectual may have a decisive voice in its formation; or they may live in their own selfish enjoyments, and suffer the ignorant and depraved to form that public opinion.—Horace Mann.
ONE of the most irritating things in the world to a true patriot, is the visitor at his table, who exalts the superiority of other nations to our own.
Not that nearly every other nation may not have some one or more points of superiority, which should be acknowledged and emulated; but your worshiper of the foreign usually makes a blanket indictment of America.
One such man was a guest at a certain table just before the war. He had recently returned from a long stay in Europe, where his great wealth and important commercial and social connections gave him access to many of the circles which largely control the life over there.
"How are the people abroad thinking of us nowadays?" inquired his hostess rather lightly. "Do they despise us as much as ever?"
"Yes, indeed," replied the great man emphatically.
"But I hope you stood up for us?"
"I wish I could say that I did," he had the effrontery to reply calmly; "but how could I? They consider that the corruption of our government is so bad that it cannot possibly continue very long. I couldn't deny it, could I? I agreed with them entirely that we were nearly at the end of our rope."
"Really?" gasped his hostess. "Are you in earnest?"