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158
Adventures in Contentment
·
David Grayson
143
We
don't
look
around;
we
know
the
voice.
And
when
the
secretary
has
computed
the
rate,
if
you
listen
closely
you
can
almost
hear
the
buzz
of
multiplications
and
additions
which
is
going
on
in
each
man's
head
as
he
calculates
exactly
how
much
the
addition
will
mean
to
him
in
taxes
on
his
farm,
his
daughter's
piano
his
wife's
top-buggy.
And
many
a
man
is
saying
to
himself:
"If
we
build
this
addition
to
the
schoolhouse,
I
shall
have
to
give
up
the
new
overcoat
I
have
counted
upon,
or
Amanda
won't
be
able
to
get
the
new
cooking-range."
That's
real
politics:
the
voluntary
surrender
of
some
private
good
for
the
upbuilding
of
some
community
good.
It
is
in
such
exercises
that
the
fibre
of
democracy
grows
sound
and
strong.
There
is,
after
all,
in
this
world
no
real
good
for
which
we
do
not
have
to
surrender
something.
In
the
city
the
average
voter
is
never
conscious
of
any
surrender.
He
never
realises
that
he
is
giving
anything
himself
for
good
schools
or
good
streets.
Under
such
conditions
how
can
you
expect
self-government?
No
service,
no
reward!
The
first
meeting
that
I
sat
through
watching
those
bronzed
farmers
at
work
gave
me
such
a
conception
of
the
true
meaning
of
self-government
as
I
never
hoped
to
have.
"This
is
the
place
where
I
belong,"
I
said
to
myself.
It
was
wonderful
in
that
school
meeting
to
see
how
every
essential
element
of
our
government
was
brought
into
play.
Finance?
We
discussed
whether
we
should
put
the
entire
$800
into
the
next
year's
budget
or
divide
it
paying
part
in
cash
and
bonding
the
district
for
the
remainder.
The
question
of
credit,
of
interest,
of
the
obligations
of
this
generation
and
the
next,
were
all
discussed.
At
one
time
long
ago
I
was
amazed
when
I
heard
my
neighbours
arguing
in
Baxter's
shop
about
the
issuance
of
certain
bonds
by
the
United
States
government:
how
completely
they
understood
it!
I
know
now
where
they
got
that
understanding.
Right
in
the
school
meetings
and
town
caucuses
where
they
raise
money
yearly
for
the
expenses
of
our
small
government!
There
is
nothing
like
it
in
the
city.
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