The Washington times., 1895-02-21
ETHICS APPLIBD TO THE STATE.

Prof. Woodrow Wilson Delivers the Sec.
ond Lecture In the University Course.
''The nature OF the State and Its Relation
to progress" was the subject yesterday Of
the second in the course of lectures being
given by the School of Applied Ethics, under
the auspices of Columbian University.
Prof. Woodrow Wilson chose this subject
for the first of the two lectures, which he
gives inthe series.
Prof. Wflsonlaunched at once into an ex-
PLANTATION of the mature of the State"
The State, he said. represented by its SOW
ereign, constitutes the power called law,
which is supposed to govern the people. AL
though, as in this country, elected by the
people to occupy the position which gives
the power to make this law, the State is in
reality in the minority. IL is not the
masses, but select few who influence the
making of the laws which are eplaceduponthe
statute books. Progress which can only be
attained by unanimous movement and
thought thus receives a setback by this
minority rule, which prevails without being
apparent.
CONCERTED ACTION NECESSARY.
This state OF society, or rather OF the
people, can only be remedied by reform
which only can be brought about by
concerted action on the part of society,
which is in reality, law. The rules or
the law of social habit which have been
formulated into definite codes of such
sort that you can put the government
back of them, are the motives that in
fluence most, and not the written laws on
the statute book which are too often not
enforced. As an instance, statute law
which still remained on the book because
ii had been forgotten, or because it had
not been repeated, would stIH be en-
tirely overruled by the law OF society.
Because law ccndemning a man To
death for witchcraft might still slumber
unrepealed on the papers OF statutes
that law nevertheless would be dead. II
the law Of social usage did not exist
there would have to be laws for many
things which are governed now SIMPLY
by the ordinary motives OF honesty which
to certain extent govern every human
being.
In speaking of the law of contracts he
said that they would be kept, as rule, with
out the laws that are made to enforce their
keeping; and in this case, as III Others, the
majority rules. They believe that they
should keep the contracts that il is morally
right that they should do so, and there
fore the minority III tie natural order OF
things, obedient TO the opinion and wishes
of the majority, are forced 10 keep them.
DEFINITION OF PROGRESS.
"Now," said Prof Wilson, what is
There have been books upon books written
in the effort to satisfactorily answer this
question However, it might he said that
progress is attained IN civilization" He
then pictured the state of the savage who
n n n
ignorance Who knows not what tie next
step may reveal and therefore hesitates
TO take that step because of the unknown
consequences that may attend it.
Prog EreSS is 10 leaIn nature. We AIneri-
cans who are so proud of our country, our
native land, have good cause to lie so By
our civilization we have mastered every
inch of tlis country. We have taken hold
of nature and used it for our own purposes.
Progress is thing of tie spirit Men are
not masters of nature because OF any
physical strength, but because they are
strong mentally, and this mental strength
can ~ be attained by education, clviliza-
ton
In closing, he se< 1-7Ht we must come
doTu and fiSSt for our rights. That
eaIL f--son ii.4st .naks uHasel1 OF he4self
a sIcial center, and by that means other
social centers" VIII occur and spread, un-
til from these sTna neg-uiiii3Es VIII grow
the progress which alone VIII give the
strength needed in the battle of life
Justice Harlan, of the Supreme Court.
was expected to preside at the conference
which followed the lecture, but was un-
able to be present, so Prof. Wilson acted
instead. Several quest .ous were pro-
pounded to him, which he fully explained
10 those seeking the information
To-day Prof. Wilson VIII lecture on
Liberty, expediency, and morality in
the democratic siaCe-"