Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-03-29
FAULTS AND FAVORS OF OUR
SOCIAL SYSTEM.
BIZ CLINTON MONTAGUE.

8
more imperative than the instincts of
love, of home, of individual freedom
was that of patriotism. The true
citizen was taught to be always ready
to surrender every personal privilege
for the welfare of society. As poIiti-
cal states, Rome aud Sparta may have
been the stronger, the more dur
able for this complete sabjugation of
individuals for the good of the whole:
but, rs corporate societies. as Romans.
as Spartans there was too dead-leyeI.
corresponding weakness. The state
was benefited; msu himself was dwarfed
and degraded by it. This is one ex-
treme which we, as Americans, are to
avoid.
Among the Greek democracies and
the modern Italian commonwealth.
we notice the prevalence of contrary
sentiment. Man. who was nothing but
a machine in Rome and Sparta, was
here the creator, the master, aud pos
slbly the destroyer of the common
wealth. The individuals who were
strong by wealth, birth or talents, did
not feel that they were under obIiga-
tIons to the state or to society, but that
they owed everything to themselves.
Man. as an individual, arrogated TO him
self a liberty, oftentimes an insoleuce
that was entirely selfish and destruc-
tive alike to society aud to good gov
ernment. In the Italian cities of the
middle ages the halt tanned feudal
lords were gathered INTO the town not
a little against their will. They, there
fore naturally continued within the
walls much of the isolation aud
lawlessness of the old life which
they had led in the mountains
The Venetian noble might boast of
his palace, but in most Italian cities
the patIlcian mansion was not a palace,
but, fortress fitted aud accustomed to
defend itself against rival mobiles aud
against the power OF the common
wealth itself. Even in ancient Athens
wealth and power assumed strange
practical license. Great leaders were
followed by bands of armed retaineIs.
Meidias indnlged himself in the prac-
tice OF assault and battery unrebuked;
Alcibiades WAS lord of "A private castle
and held the unwilling Agatharchus
against the united authority of the
ten Generals. And this daring IN
science of indiyi lual men was not TX
ceptional, but of common Occurrt nee
during successive generations. No
wonder society became disorganiZed
and states lost their prestige of great
ness, with such conduct possible. But
where can you find such men q.
Athens, Florence AMI Milan pro-
duced?
L suppose ever American citizen
considers himself noble, sovereign
He certainly Is not a mere automaton
whose every individual desire and as
piration is crushed under the des-
potism % the state or of society. Nor
has he the right to isolate himself en-
trely and shirk the duties incumbent
on him as IA mau and 6s IA citizen. The
rights and duties of the individual aud
of society m We along in parallel lines
and neither should interfere with the
other. The model citizen loves his
home. he - happy III 1t, but he does
not ignore social organization and the
part he has to play III 1t.
The sentiment of domesticity, which
onr forefsthers brought with them out
of the German woods, owes much to
America The love of home is strong
III the human breast. /. Is confirmed
by IA sense of absolute proprIetorship,
The privilege of real home has in
duced many foreigner to seek the
American shores. The possession of a
home has encouraged sentiment OF
true patriotism. The consciousness of
domestic pos ses ions is the basis of a
noble citizenship American citizen
ship has beer truer for the sense of an
individual cOparcenary interest. Men
are truest to that from which they an
ticipate returns of individual advan-
tage. This sentiment Is the stronger
for the advantage of improved indlvid-
ual possibilities. To live and hope Is
greater than simply to live. The
prospect of social elevation, confirmed
IN many instances by practical exam
pie, has made many an American more
Jealous OF his country's Integrity aud
honor.
The honor of our land has been in.
creased 10y the consciousness of the
freedom of moral and intellectual ex-
preston. The soul, reieas ed from
letters, expands her wings with alacri-
tv. With its powers in free play,
human nature multipli5s its proofs of
nobler excellency till they are as many
as the changes of tie Kaleidoscope.
Forms of love and mOulds of thought,
like a multitude of blossoms upon one
parent stalk, have been evolved to the
enlargement of the scope of social
benevolence aud activity, from that
life of freedom which Is lived easiest
on our own soil
The favors of the American System
are not more numerous than tn. faul;s
that have arisen from its misinterpre-
tation. Men have mistaken a domestic
privilege for nm absence of all moral
obligation to society. When once the
strong man has bu 1t his house, he has
shut the door and kept it barred
against the IngTess of social llberallty.
Men have fondled feasted, and fattened
their own seltishness. The language
of their lives Is: ''As for me anl my
house, we will serve ourselves. They
love self, live for self, die for self; the
world derives no benefit from them,
except it comes from their unavOld-
able. external dependence upon II.
They will do nothing for social moral
itv, intelligence, or clvIllty, unless
action be wrested from taem by the
strong ann of the individual or local
necessity. Apparently unable to COM
preheud citizenship, they call this
free country, and hug their ''independ-
ence," unmindful of the hindrance So
clety inours by their steadfast indltfer-
ence to all true orial interests.
Society in America suffers from a
misco. struction of the royal privilege
of national citizenship. The concep-
non of the rights OF free citizeus is
distorted into an apprehension of the
wrongs of all citizers. The conception
that free citizenship does not mean free
defiance of all the laws of true citizen
ship apparently failsof II residence IN the
minds of many aspiring tc prominence
in our social affairs. The idea that it
rs practically inn os=ible for person to
assume the duties of public use, ex-
cert for an absolutely private end, is
too painful ly prevalent IN our country:
The sensitiveness of the trnly loyal
citizen is often shocked by remarks
betraying The wide spread dominance
of the Inscriptions of abject self
;sbn.sS 70 all pnblic acts. To the