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Show w ALMOST A CLASSIC. Tho following is almost n classic. It Is an extract from tho speech of R. W. Sloan In the Democratic convention: conven-tion: "For myself, I pin as little faith to party promises based upon alleged party achievements, as I do on the honesty of the man who wearies tho ears of auditors with protestations of his personal honesty. I'm afraid of both. They aro like Hie woman who proclaims with damning iteration her virtue. It never occurs to a virtuous woman that she must proclaim herself her-self as such. That any one should question her morality Is unthinkable to her. As virtue is to woman, so honesty Is to mnn. Knowing himself to be honest, the last thing to suggest sug-gest itself to him Is tho need of proclaiming pro-claiming his honesty. Old Dr. Johnson, John-son, the lexicographer, Is responsible for the declaration that a proclamation proclama-tion of patriotism was the last refuge of scoundrels; and ono Oliver Goldsmith, Gold-smith, a contemporary of Johnson, perpetrated tho axiom that some persons per-sons felt they had paid every debt they owed to virtue when they praised It "Our heads are ever twisted to ono sldo -or the other with tho clamorous calls of rival reformers and leaders to harken to their 'loyalty to the flag,' to their 'love of our glorious country,' to their 'patriotism' and 'American-Ism.' 'American-Ism.' How it may affect others 1 know not, but it nauseates mo to tho point almost of vomit, and If sensible voters' can bo deluded by these wind1 Jabbers and mental inebriates, then nil your veriest rogue needs do is to proclaim his honesty long nnd loud enough and your brazenest strumpet to whimper of her virtue hours enough to have both accepted at their crying value. Your genuine patriot is such becauso ho is too busy doing tho patriotic thing to howl himself hoarse about It; and It may safely bo set down ns a rule that tho patriotic and tho loyal nnd tho honest man, and tho real American, is too busy telling people peo-ple about them; and tho patriotism and loyalty and Americanism of those who are giving citizens generally tho oaracho with tholr loud protestations, will, if dissected, bo fouti to havo theso virtues' in their lungs only and no number of analyses will show any of them eltlier In head or heart." " |