The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-01
BELLEVUE, La,
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER !, 1881.

not deny the natural inequalitie
and differences of endowment whic
everywhere prevail among them.--
What it really means is that all me
are equally endowed at birth wit
certain inalienable rights, and the,
are equal only in the sense of al
identity of title to those rights. Th
central idea, in fact the very essence
of the political theory of human
equality is that laws and institutions
of the State shall not obstruct any
individual member of the communi
ty in his honest efforts to rise in the
social scale, and that no barriers o.
caste, prerogative or special priv
lege shall interpose themselves te
his advancement. Equality before
the law is equality of opportunity
the removal of outward obstacles to
promotion--the concession to every
man Of a fair chance to win success
according to the measure of his abil-
tiles. A valuable part of this en-
couragement to individual effort
which just government should af-
ford is in the protection of the re-
suits of labor. The enjoyment of
property, therefore, should be de.
Tended by the government with the
same zeal and vigilance as are exer.
cised in giving security to life and
liberty. ~ m
The acquisitions Of labor should
be surrounded with every reasona.
BILE safeguard against spoliation.-
Genius, industry and thrift are de-
prived Of every incentive if the citi.
zen is not to be guaranteed in the
anquestioned possession of their
fruits. Communism is a heresy
which teaches the equality of the
lowest level; it would bring all men
down to this, and it discourages
every attempt to attain knowledge,
education, skill, character or any
other excellence which tends to ele-
waite one man above another. Yet
these advantages just enumerated
must be won, if won at all, BY each
man for himself. They cannot be
iaherited or transmitted. They are
among the cardinal factors of sue
cess under free government. Any
gains which these qualities may
earn to him who has acquired them
become possessions which he holds
BY the highest and most indefeasible
claim. The contrary notion taught
by the Socialists is essentially hos
tile to civilization, and would re.
mand society to the primeval bar
barism. Culture, industry, economy,
find no recognition or reward in the |
theory Of an equal right to the good
things of life without reference to
whether they are earned or not
Absurd as the doctrine appears |
when analysed, il. is susceptible of
many plausible presentations, and |
it has sown fallacies aud illusions
without number among the masses,
who have not paused to examine it's
premises and to note its inevitable
outcome. us
A cast-iron social scheme, which
keeps every man IN the station he
was born in and condemns him to
nip bis ambitions in the bud, is no
worse practically than the opposite
extreme of communism. These ex-
'remes meet, in fact, and they
amount to the same thing SO far as
regards their consequences upon the
individual members of the State
Either system paralyzes all effort to
Use above the plane Of a mere bar
'en existence, in which there is none
4 the dignity and light and joy, the
,eauty and the enthusiasm, of q true
md noble life. +
An exchange says It IS astonishing
low manysof the aablest men in the
'ountry' are sent to Congress and