The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-22
NATIONAL MORALITY.


is essential 20 the pefpetaity Of the gov
eminent But as the chief end Of edaca-
ton is the moral perfection Of the individ-
ual il will be readily seen that the stability
Of our government depends more directly
upon what may be termed its national
morality. For. while general Ignorance
Of the spirit Of our institutions is no doub;
dangerous. g maievolsnt spirit, If general,
10 much more so, as general intelligence
then gives force and direction 10 the
danger.
Morality Is not the end Of government
s. some moralists have asserted, bat IL Is
certainly the most potent means By which
nations have come into being II is also
the chief means by which their stability 10
maintained and the laoor Of government
made easy.
A nation Is an organic unity Of indi-
viduals in which the rights of each are
made the concern of the whole. No peo-
pie has ever risen into this condition
among whom the moral rights Of the in
divldusl have not been first recognized,
and their preservation made an object Of
solieitude. With savage tribes this Is
necessary condition to civilization, and
comes from without; and in the formation
Of new nationalities, whether from the
savage state or by the division of another
nation. morality, whatever may have been
the immediate cause. 10 n necessary con-
dition Of the formation. The creation of
states is impossible except upon basis of
q national morality.
Likewise Is il essential TO the mainten-
ance Of a government. Upon examina-
ton of the causes which have given rise
to the decay OF nations and changes in the
form of governments. IL will be found that
the chief cause was the lowering of thu
tone Of national morality. History. both
ancient and modern, furnishes abundant
examples. Changes in the form of gov
eminent are usually brought about
by q change in the point Of sovereignty,
Governments are not either OF necessity
or in fact alike. All, however. are based
upon the sovereignty of the nation which
establishes and maintains them. In the
early history Of nations individuals
usurped the sovereignty and afterwards
claimed il jiire diViao. In the slow but
certain evolution of government. how
ever. the sovereignty of a nation has come
to DO recognized as belonging to the nation
itself. In other words, il rests with the
people. Although in some places kings
still rule. their authority comes from the
people; for IL must be conceded that ma
tons which have demonstrated their
power 20 make and unmake kings. really
possess the sovereign power. Whatever
authority, therefore. ruler possesses is
delegated 90 him by the nation.
1t will not be doubted, then. that IL is
the duty of government TO promote
healthy and growing national morality.
This, of course, Is . different thing from
the establishing of religion or the lend
ing of aid in the furtherance of religious
propagandism. There should be In all
nations a separation between church and
state. Religion is a matter upon which
| there must be = difference OF opinion, and
the forms of worship are becoming AS
| varied as the figures of Kaleidoscope.
| Morality. however. is common ground,
/ upon which ali can stand, and q national
| morality is essential to nations welfare.
/ It's the means which above all others
| goes further toward securing the end
which the government itself is intended
/ TO subserye.
All Improvement In the national moral
/ ity is an AID so government Its value,
/ however is never fully measured. When
/ riots occur in certain places, and the local
authorities are taxed TO the utmost 10 sup
/ press violence and restore order. We catch
a glimpse of what would be the outcome
If the moral tone Of the nation would sink
TO the level Of that of the Tioter. The gov
1 eminent, which is not the state, but the
/ states instrument. is established for the
/ purpose Of securing the liberty aud pro-
tecting the interests Of the subjects. IL Is
/ designed 20 supply the defects of an i'm
perfect society. Its laws aud lawmakers,
| Its courts and judges. its sheriffs and no
| licemsn. are for the purpose of educating
/ perfeeting and protecting its subjects IN
/ all the enjoYments for which the state was
/ created. 1t Is the instrument by which
| the state Is enabled to fulfill its mission.
/ and Just in proportion to the increase ia
national morality does the employment of
/ thisinstrument become unnecessary. Gov
eminent does not touch the Ideally moral
/ citizen. lie who violates no law is not
| governed, aud the protection OF his rights
/ is merely incidental 10 the government Of
/ those who would violate them.
The state. therefore, which has the
| highest national morality Is the stats tina
/ is governed least; and any increase in the
national morality Is necessarily decrease
| In the labor Of government
"wsrshsH shs wealth bestowed ca camp and
/ a,vep g redeem sAs Aausaa ulina from error
There we're 40 need o EEsSRai % fogI|
Is Is the care Of modern nations to az.
ford means for = universal intelligence
/ This Is nations duty. Bat il Is well
/ known that intellectual education takes
| its standing and its form from the moral
| conditions which surrounds g. Morality
| IL the base u tie intellectual saperssrue-
urc. and II the government assumes the
responsibility Of the building il should
look % the foundation also. IL the lack
| OF national intelligence Is dangerous 20
the state. the lack Of national morality is
/ much more 50.
Z
COTTON