St Vincent Seminary - Symposium Yearbook (Latrobe, PA)

Page 56 text:

,pl -I-I p t ' my ,Z illlllllllllll' Ellllllllllllal I ' : 5 kuiliv-A f 1 . . . 7 . . ll n. 7 . J 11 . . a I . . . 7 . ' 7 Llllllllllllll . gllll li -uns :llllllllllllfl ' iff The New Cmzen FRANCIS X FOLEY, A B GREAT railroad terminal is filled with the discord of clangmg bells hissing steam, and screeching brakes as heavy trams come to a stop The great rail caravans are discharging their passengers, representing every state in the Union and the various outlying possesslons. The hoarse panting of giant locomotives mingled with the cry of porters and attend- ants, brings added confusion. Outside the station a southern gaze of a smiling sun. Hearty greetings are exchanged as ac- quaintances meetg everywhere 1S heard animated conversation concerning the business at hand. All, however are plainly anxious to cope with the impending problems. They are for the most part veterans, men who have met on the eastern seaboard on the western coast in northern climes and now in the south for this same purpose. They are met to select a man who shall uphold the standard of a great political party, to present one who shall merit the approval of the nation Several days later the same terminal witnesses the departure of these men who had come with such keen eagerness to attack the problems presented. Their elastic step and alert expression has given way to a tired and drawn appearanceg the unaccustom- ed heat and particularly the protracted and strenuous debates on issues fraught with grave, lmportance, have sapped thevitality of even the most robust. Nevertheless, there glows in the eyes of all the sparkle of accomplishment, the satisfaction of a work well done, the realization of the defeat of a false principle, the knowledge that a prejudiced notion has been relegated forever to the limbo of the past This southern city has been unusually privileged It has witnessed the dawn of a new day in national life a correct interpretation of the laws of liberty: indeed, it has witnessed the birth of the new citizen' and as the editor of the Virginian-Pilot has said though the party may lose the election, no defeat in November can deprive it of the spiritual victory in une. The new citizen' VVh'1t does this term imply? Consideratlons of a finer analytical nature are entirely beyond the scope of this writing requiring exhaustive examination of the social and economic aspect of the question, so, of necessity, the viewpoint must be general Broadly the term implies a more wide-awake, f f, ., l Mfr'-l , 4.2 ll53ll -ll I I Ulllll 2551155 if 1-Ellis E lllllllllhllg gllla glllllli :IIIE mumuuun X VU E I I E: N .1 5 M gllilllllvgz city is gayly bedecked in holiday attire, welcoming all under the ' i .

Page 55 text:

n 3 is 5. a .,. 4+ gig ' AF if 's 'FT 1 1 f .ib- A 64 r Q-4' V

Page 57 text:

1-5 :lllf 'lllllllllllll P Q4 independent thinking body politic. VVe do not here fail to recog- nize that a very large number of persons are still content to have political and economic problems either personal or of a more remote nature decided by party leaders or current periodicals. Because these numbers are so vast lt would lndeed be foolish to be blind to the great field as yet unsuitable for the sowing of advanced political ideas However the outlook is extremely encouraging, especially in view of the rapid culmination of years of endeavoring to show the people that their will, when prompted by sound thought, can be supreme. It is obvious that the last few years have seen a triumph of many principles former- ly termed figments of idealistic minds It cannot be affirmed that the new citizen is so constituted as to be always correct or even fair in his views or interpretation of opinions affecting moral, social, and political life. His many JUIIIIIIIIIIJ Jlllllll.l'llL 5 I - Ellllll: 4 ni nu Q, gllllllz - . Q , 4- . , 'lllllllllllilr O , D I , O I , I O I , . . I . ' . . . 931-2 X r . . . . . . . . .. I I D , . . . I Slllllllllllils A Z5 A u 2 I u I I ' : Hllllllltllllf' ' ' errors, some very flagrant, will be manifest as we consider his or, at least, legislation obtained by subterfuge and trickery But the new citizen recognizes the presence of problems and strives valiantly to cope with them, and it may be presumed that out of his earnestness there will arise a clearer concept of national life. As one prominent writer of the day stated when speaking of the great presidential campaign: Politics are being talked to an extent not known in America within a generation. More people will vote than ever before. The issues are not clearly drawn, but they never are. At any rate, people are thinking about national problems and arguing about them and fighting about them. It may be that after this cogitation many Americans will go to the polls and vote stupidly. The voter who does not comprehend is always with us. Yet there is something to be said for the man who comes to a foolish decision. I like him better than the man who reaches no decision at all-. It is evident that such a situation exists and it is precisely because of this fact that we have hope for the future. The causes for this new birth in our elective body are manifold and variedl A consideration of some of them both in their fundamental simplicity and devel- oped form brings the realization of a force capable of far-reaching effects. f V The prime factor in the development of a citizenry able to use suffrage intelligently is of course, education, 'education by means of institutions of learning, periodicalshand magazines This fact is quite undebatable. It is with the school as a force for that purpose that we are here chiefly concerned. Within the R2 ll54ill EIIIIIIIIIIIIE glllg gllllllg funn: 11 llllllllllill action with reference to what might be termed forced legislation: