The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-22
ROOM FOR PATRIOTISM.

ROOM FOR PATRIOTISM.
In all stages of civilization there are
men who are willing to aver that the re-
straints of government upon the indie
pendence of the individual, the wrongs
that are done by the ruling authority
are evils greater than the benefits that
flow from the institution Of government.
In other words, there be pessimists-so-
cial pessimists, who find the balance be-
tween good and bad in civil institutions,
in favor of the bad. They find on every
bad the impress Of state authority upon
the subject. He is taxed, and in ex-
treme cases his property is confiscsted
in the name of the public good. In the
name of government, he is subjected to
a multitude of unnecessary restraints.
Must support religions that he does not
believe in; submit to execution of laws
that seem wholly unjust; pay the penal
ty Of bachelorhood by fines and head
tax. remain in matrimonial alliance
against his will; see the might Of riches
win out in actions at law over the right,
and the name of religion prostituted to
bolster the authority of the governing
class; to uphold the divine right of
kinsship." All this and more. Govern
ment with these cities is not worth the
sacrifice. Taxes 60 to the unworthy and
benefits accrue to pretenders, nypocrites
and sccundrels.
This view is narrow and from point
of view that seeks the dungeon rather
than the open sun light. That there are
governmental evils goes without ques-
ton. The governing class will not be
perfect while humanity is Imperfect.
Party platforms and objects furnish
only a choice between evils, or between
good and less good. Too much is ex-
pected Of law. Everything that is I'M
desirable in our surroundings may, IN
this view, in some way be subject for
remedy by legislation. False. Govern
ments is first for police protection and
after that it should interfere least with
individual concerns. The first import
ant matter to be learned is the limited
scope and purpose-police protection,
the guaranty that one individual will
not transgress the individual or proper
ty rights of another. Government has
DO panaced. 1t creates nothing, but is
created.
Along with the idea that government
is failure is the associated idea of the
relation between civilized restraint and
the independence Of the savage. The
independence of anarchy! The condition
without law, without order, without
property, without industrial pursuits.
without marriage, without home. with
no protection save that of the indi-
yidual's might, disputes settled by bat
tie, ownership determined by occu-
pancy. love not even a dream, art. mu-
sic and letters impossibilities, ambition
not so much as a delusion- Indepen-
dence indeed. The most degraded form
of government is better than no govern
mcnt. Slavery is better than savagery.
Not a man on this continent, who, II
he prefers the life of savage, prefer
to live off tine fruits OF nature. TO re-
noupce society and live in solitude. but
can do that very thing If he will con-
duct himself as an honest savage. leave
others to their rights. as in savagery he
would be compelled 10 do by the brute
force he would daily be in contact with,
exchange the choice for rude Kind OF
farming TO provide his simplets wants.
There is no way in which this may be
turned but the absurdity of the indepen-
dence OF anarchy is intensely manifest
Government, with all its faults, with
all the unsympathetic hypocrisy that IS
disclosed by the governing class on &C.
casions is sn heritage the value of
which men little realize. The pessimist
may complain. the socialist dream, aud
anarchist condemn. but the government
must remain-not only remain but prac-
tically as il has been in the past
Enough better that II may I've called pro-
gress, but NOT so different that il may
be named revolution
AS American citizens. with allowance
for all that might be made better. We
too little appreciate the great boom u
our government institutions The time
has come when We should calmly, de
Ifbera,eir measure the great benefits Of
cur institutions. compared with existing
commonweslths aud the Institutions Of
the past. that We may really and deeply
feel that patriotic impulse which Is cue
from rs 10 our nation In the midst OF
partisan criticism and vindietive debate,
with our eyes turned 10 national frail-
ties and personal dishonesty in public
and private nosition we are ant TO for