The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-02
oUrcnoPs o. PArNRNALIsM.

Schemes for the relief Of temporary and
local distress so frequently emanate from
demagogues whose knaveIy is on par
with their ignorance that they are rarely
entitled To the honor of notice. But once
in a way it may not be utterly lost time to
prick a few Of these bubble projects, SIM
ply because the exposure Of their hollow
ness may prevent their authors succeeding
in getting up CLUB" TO be sold ont at the
coming election to one or the other Of the
two political parties.
1t Will be observed that the schemes for
the relief of the unemployed in cities. and
for the relief Of agrlculturists who are suf-
fering from the low price Of farm produce,
are generally predicated upon Federal in
reference with the laws of trade and indus
try. Whenever accident reduces the de-
mAnd for labor in cities or q good wheat
crop in France knocks down the price OF
wheat in this market somebody is sure to
get up and propose that the Federal Gov
eminent shall appear on the, scene like a
machine god and set everything straight
either by an issue of greenbacks or by an
issue of bonds to be leaned to the impecu-
NOUS, or by the construction of works
which are net wanted. Such notions rarely
emanate from Americans. The normal
American is not prone to lean upon his
Government. He stands erect, with his
sovereignty under his own hat, and relies
upon his own wit and his own muscle TO
get him ont of any trouble which may befall.
But the Continental European never gets
over the idea that he is an infant in law,
that his Government is his guardian, and
that when accident occurs it is the business
Of that Government to shelter and protect
him and pull him through. 1t seems that
we have in this country a sufficient number
of these persons to cut quite figure from
time to time in our politics.
These curious individuals inver. the
roles Of Government and citizen. In Eu-
rope, where accident established thrones
and appointed certain families to fill them,
the paternal theory of Government may be
grasped. But in this country the Govern
ment is an emanation from the people. 1t
is their creature. They made it and clothed
it with certain powers to perform certain
tasks which it was incOnvenient for the
people to undertake for themselves. 1t has
no capacity and no authority except what
were granted TO it by the people. 1t is no
more the guardian or parent of the people
than q watch is the guardian of the watch
maker, or ship the parent of the ship
builder. 1t is a mere tool and servant of
the community at large.
An appeal to this tool for aid in time Of
distress is thus simply proposal that the
people shall relieve themselves by depart
ing from the practices which law and Gus
tom have established, and resort to devices
to prevent cause from being followed by
effect. When a man proposes that Govern
ment shall issue bonds or currency, and
devote the proceeds to the purchase of
merchandise or labor, he merely means that
the people shall borrow money to stop the
OEeration of national laws, and shall pay
the debt at some future time. Such pro-
.posals are usually made III behalf of par
sticular localities, and i'll these cases the
idea IS that the people at large shall tax
themselves for the benefit Of certain places,
or classes,sor Interest," There is method
in this form of madness, as no community
in its sober senses would consent to mulct
itself for the emoluinent of one of its parts,
In that admirable poem which is the de-
light OF youth and the solaee of old age, the
'1liad' Of Homer, both Greeks and Trojans
were memorable examples of the pupiage
system. Each relied upon their faYorite
gods to give them victory over their foes
Not even Achilles nor Hector relied upon
his own broad swerd; his chief reliance
was on the interposition Of the goddess to
whom be prayed. He went into battle
firmly relying that if the day went against
him, Juno, or Minerva, or the great ZeuS
himself would send fog to blind the
enemy, and when the battle was won he
rendered thanks TO his diety for the work
which had been done by his own good right
hand. This was paternal government in
its simplest form. 1t was quite as logical
as the appeals which are made in our own
time to Mr.. Harrison and to Congress to
intervene to prevent natural causes leading
TO their normal effects.