duty more pressing on its Legislature, than to
patronize a plan for communicating it to those
whO are to be the future guardians of the liber
ties of the nation."
If we follo;v the successhe elections and
campaigns through the history of the nation we
shall find, almost without an exception, that
fraud was fractised in every one of them.: The
election of 1816, still fresh in the memories of
many ofyou here to-night, was so full of fraud
that it was necessary to submit the returns to
a joint electorial commission in order to ob
tain an election, and the crisis through which
the union passed at that time was surpassed
only by that which caused the civil war.
It is useless for us to attempt to enumerate
the mischief and strife wrought by the political
rings, the more prominent of which was the
Tweed ring and at the present time Tammany
Ball. Public opinion has destroyed the former
and it is the sincere desire of every patriotic
honest oit'zen that the latter share a similar
fate. Abolish such rings and abolish excessive
legislation in private interests.
"How is this improvement in citizenship to
be accomplished."
Introduce such studies into our public schools
as will teach the youth his whole duty to his
fellowman and to his country. Impress upon
him the fact that he is a man among men and
that he has a duty to perform•towards his fellow
man and towards his country that he must not
neglect. ,
Elect men to positions of honor and trust
who will work for the safety of the government
and for the prosperity of its people.
This, nation wants men in such positions,
whose character is beyond reproach, who, when
a question arises that conflicts with their party
platform, but is of benefit to the people, will not
be afraid to forsake party and perform their
duty toward their fellowmen. The country
wants men who are not afraid to, follow the ex
ample of Sir Robert Peel. When he saw that
THE FREE LANCE.
the welfare of the nation demanded the repeal
of the corn laws—though previous to that time
lie had been the'r strongest. supporter 7 -he aid
not avoid his duty but bravely voted for re
peal. His action cost him his office—he was
then prime minister of England, and threw his
party out of power, but he recognized that his
duty to his fellowman was greater than his
duty to party.
Lord Dalling says of him : "Above all parties
himself a party he bad trained his own mind
into a disinterested sympathy with the intel
ligence of his country."
Those are the men the nation %ants in her
legislative bodies and in her p: esid• ntial chair.
How many members of our legislative bodies
are worthy of such a glowing tribute ?
If they are in the minority,then public opin on
should demand a change The instruments
which that change
. can be wrought are
scattered broad cast throughout the land.
The institutions of learning scattered from
the lakes to the gulf, from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, stand as beacon lights ever ready and
willing to direct the unlearned in the paths of
knowledge ; yet some have declared this method
of preparing men for citizenship to be a failure
Popular Education has not fully accomplish•
ed the work of improving citizenship more
rapidly for the' reason that it has not been. pro.
perly applied. Place such information as may
be derived from social, moral and political
science within the reach of the masses ; and
add a good course in civics to our public school
curriculi. Then Popular Education will fulfill
its mission toward citizenship to the-satisfaction
of its severest critics.
SUMMER CONFERENCE FOR COL
LEGE STUDENTS.
Summer gatherings have, come to be a rec
ognized factor in promoting educational and
religious interests, and the more thoughtful of .
MELVIN J. KIEFER.