Americus Times Recorder

CITIZENS OF TOMORROW.
Statistics tell us that every year in round numbers, five hundred thousand young men attain their majority, and begin to exercise certain rights and privileges that pertain to the franchise, and other matters. By this is meant that five hundred thousand minors have reached their majority and become full fledged citizens in the legal sense of the term, and from now on they are to exercise all the rights and privileges of the older citizens, exercising as citizens influence upon public welfare one way or the other With those already exercising these rights and privileges, the question arises: Will these citizens of tomorrow influence in the right direction?
Have they been brought up with an idea to making them good citizens, citizens in whose hands the affairs of this country can be placed and trusted. Not without reason are these questions asked, for five hundred thousand votes might turn a presidential election and inaugurate a governmental policy that would depreciate values and stagnate industry to the disadvantage of both labor and capital.
The citizens of tomorrow have or should have been taught the duties of citizenship. They should have been taught to regard law and the rights of others, to yield to law and order, having at all times the highest regard for the rights of his fellowman.
They should have been taught to honor virtue, protect and defend womanhood in all that is pure and holy, and to depend on self for advancement.
If they are not this they have been taught improperly and stand a poor chance of becoming good citizens in a strict interpretation of the word. In short they have not been taught at all, and if not, the fathers have been negligent and disregardful of their own best interests and the interests of their country, and to the extent of being criminally negligent of their own sons, in that the destiny of themselves and the country are to be placed in the hands of the citizens of tomorrow.
And right here we are constrained to say that it is well to note that a father has a three fold responsibility, to the state, to their sons, and to themselves. Thus they owe a duty to all three if they are to be classed as good citizens. And again it may be said, if they don't look well after their boys and in the right way some one else will look after them and in the wrong way, or their boys may look after themselves which too frequently means the same thing. The question then should arise with the father, am I looking after my boy as I should?
Have I taught him to walk in the narrow way, to respect and observe law and order, at all times having a due regard for the rights and privileges of others, have I directed him in the paths of virtue and honor, to love, honor and reverence his mother, protect and cherish womanhood?
That the public has a right to ask these questions cannot be gainsaid. Further the public has a right to inquire: Will the influence of these men citizens of tomorrow be in the right direction?
Because it shares the rights and privileges of citizenship with them, and, sharing, must suffer or prosper as those rights are exercised.
As individual members of the public fathers are bound to ask themselves if they have looked after their boys in the right way, because if they have not they will be asked why not, if they lay claim to good citizenship for every law that of recent years that is being put on our statute books looks to a more complete accounting of the stewardship as pertains to his son as a new citizen with all the rights of franchise and citizenship.
In considering the citizenship of tomorrow properly prepared to discharge the duties of such, there are some facts that induce us to optimistic views. Statistics tell us in figures that the world is growing better, that vice and crime is on the decline, that we are progressing morally and materially. Political economists find an improved trend in things, an uplift in things pertaining to civic and social advancement.
Theologians say that there is a greater religious furor now than there was ten years ago, and that there are a greater number of followers of the doctrine of "fair play" and the "square deal," while "civic righteousness" like leaven is softening up the whole lump of politics.
But, be these things as they are or may be, there is but one thing for the father to do, and that is to make sure that his boys with whom he is soon to divide his birth right, live in love of all that is best, in manly independence, in respect for law and authority, and in devotion to noble ideals. Such preparation, because it guarantees self-control, is the best guarantee of capacity for self-government.