A Wrong Principle

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 20, 1909

A Wrong Principle.

Some years ago an ardent after-dinner speaker enunciated this principle: “My country, may she always be right; but right or wrong—my country.” That has been parodied and expressed on different occasions since then. One of the most recent is by a great labor leader who claims to stand for the people. He said: “I am a trade unionist; may the trade unionist always be right; but whether right or wrong, I am with the trade unionist.” That sentiment speaks for itself and could be as justly and righteously spoken by a member of any other class, combination, or profession; yet it has within it the utter breaking down of all true manhood and strong, righteous government. The business of every true man is to stand for the right always; righteousness is more than any organization, and he only helps in that organization to which he may belong, who holds to the right.