Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-06-26

REQUIRED-oUR OWN GOVERNMENT.
Whats the matter with grandma?
Is she sick?" asked Tom Henry, as a
tall lady with a ruffled countenance
passed through the sitting room door
and up the stairway. ~ heard her say
as she left, I'm sick of paying taxes, ;"
replied Jack Stoner, and a quizzical
smile flashed owe a face that evident
ly found it easy to relax at the humor
of tragedy, as he insisted on clubbing
the criss cross of our daily round.
How we do make weapons for our
own hurt of our common thingsY Look
at grandma's, for instance, when that
tax collector left just now. She's a
woman of extraordinary good sense,
but ever since l could think it has
amused me to see her resent paying her
taxes"
"All women do, for that matter.
The curious thing is, they do not seem
to recognize taxes as their just debt TO
the Government for its protection of
their property, though women in gen.
eral are more careful to pay their bills
than men are, Pm inclined to think.
i've never understood much about
government and taxation. | wish |
did,
"Well, my boy, that's a big subject,
the science of government, the greatest
in the world except religion, but l do
not see for the life of me-" Uncle Jack
continued refectively, "how a govern
ment that is not founded on the princi.
pies of the christian religion can be
true, or just, or progressive, or perma-
nent."
Then you think no real line a be
drawn between good government and
true religiong"
None. One is the outcome of the
other; each develops as the other pro-
crosses; sincs the world began they
have risen and fallen together. 1t is
only natural cause and effect that the
nations that forget God shall be blot.
ted out.'n
"What is the exact meaning of the
word government"
Government is defined as the au-
t%horitative direction and restraint exer.
cised over the actions of men in COM
munities, societies, states, and, accord.
ing to the great Macaulay, exists for
the purpose of keeping the peace, or
compelling us to settle our disputes by
arbitration instead of settling them by
blows, for compelling us to supply our
wants instead of by rapine."
why, how his statement fits the
things our papers are so full of Just
now. 1t makes me think of just four
words-troops strikes, labor and corpo-
rations."
Yes, every perfect definition is uni.
versal and fits one time and people
just as we'll as another. The want of
perception in the English government
OF these reasons for its existence led to
the setting up of our own free govern
ment in America, a governments of the
people, by the people, for the people, as
our Lincoln stated it; that is, the Unit.
ed States put to test the principle of
self government"
why is this self government-the
rule of all in a nation better than the
rule of one, as by a kingY"
Because, as u wise Lincoln used
to say, everybody is wiser than an
body But all government, even of a
child, is a failure that does not teach
the governed to be self controlled.
The highest development, the very sal
walton of every human soul depends
upon its power to govern itself, to be.
come of its own will one in heart and
act with the government over it. 9th
erwise it will only do right under au.
thority oil when watched. The wisest
government is the one that tries to teach
every individual citizen to be wisely
self directed. So in this republic you
see a church and q school house on
every hillside, in every valley, where
the future American citizens are being
trained to think and act for themselvs.
1t was so from the beginning;o our fore.
fathers began this government with
the bible for our law book and the
church and the school house our first
public buildings"
" begin to see. A government by
the people a only be as good as its
people are good aud wise. In short, a
government, like water, can rise no
higher than its source"
Exactly so. Just in proportion as
the individual citizen is developed will
a good government develop. For this
reason l look upon the study of politics
the science of government, as one of
the most important subjects that can
be taught in schools and colleges"
ut would be far more interesting and
alive than the dead languages and
mathematics. 1t would make us feel
that this country is ours, as nothing