The morning times., 1896-06-28

| EQUALRIGHTSioR NJ NoRIGHTs-WHICH?
| In his Constitutions al History OF the United
| States" Prof. Won Holtz makes the follow
! ing statement:
/, '.As the country became more democratic
| men distinguished IN politics became less
and less the leaders of the people. They,
| indeed apparently claimed that position,
but in fact they wentaong with the stream,
| concerned only to swim at the head. Men
really independent in thought or action
by degrees appeared more rarely in Con-
gress or among politicians outside Of
| it," ~
This delay Implies that democracy tends
| to eliminate statesmen from political lead
ership. We believe THE proposition To be
| an error, due to Il false conception of the
| essentia meaiiIIigaht purpose of democratic
! govcrnme' t. We, are too apt to con sder
| mere forms as the equivalents OF substance,
and We believed the learned author allO wed
himself to falY into this loose way OF
thinking when he wrote the paragraph
we have quoted. If democracy means moth
| ing better than " popular scramble for
wealth and advantage by means OF pO-
| litical agencies, the statement of Won
HoltZ might bel regarded true, for such u
use of til cforms of Democracy naturally
excludes men Of character and conscience
| from leadership.
| But II democracy means''a governmental
the people, by the people, for the people.
the necessary logical implication is equal
| rights To all; special privileges TO none
| We contend that this was the kind OF de-
| mocracy sought to be established by the
| leading spirits OF our constitutional period.
| That they did not wholly realize their IDEAL
| was due to undemocratic influences within
| the body polite, which made compromise
| the alternative OF failure. II was the
| danger due TO such influences at all times
| that led jefferson to exclam: Eternal
vigilance is the price OF liberty Washing
| ton also advised us to constantly recur to
fundamental principles in discussing pub
| lie affairs. The clear implication is that
a self-governing people must sacredly guard
something more than the mere forms OF de-
| mocracy.
II there he any historical truth in Won
HoltZ's statement. 1t means that men or
character and conscience cease to be rep
resented in the councils of our government
as true democracy decays.
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
1t is not enough that everybody enjoys
the right to vote. The mere casting OF the
ballot is a mechanical operation that any
one can peroform, and the casting OF IL
for a dishonest purpose robs II OF all It's
sacredness to the extent 1t is SO employeds
The right To vote has no moral foundation.
except the right to defend rights, inciud-
ing those OF the voter. Bat when the masses
OF mankind become imbued with the idea
that rights are rctions. or that they exist
only by virtue Of statutes, IL is out of the
question to suppose them capable OF vot-
ing for anything but purely selfish in
terests, II they vote at all.
Even now immense campaign FUNDS are
sad to be necessary Ito get the vote
out" This can mean nothing less than
failure on the part OF voters To see any
principle in politics for which they care
tovotc. We are all i'll some measure respon-
sible for such a state OF affairs. Its exist
ence is a menace to our institutions. and
regret IL as we may, we shall utterly fan
to check the danger until we turn again to
the spirit OF liberty and Justice that has
never failed to bring great leaders to the
front when its principles were uppermost
in the minds and hearts Of the people.
Now, We believe that the source OF the
evil confronting us is to he found in the
existing anarchy Of thought regarding hui
man ghts. The moment we depart from
that fundamental principle ennciated i'll
the Declaration of lndependence-the prir
ciple of equal rights-it is. in the nature OF
other bond uf agreement. Selfish interests
eterDally clash. and constant Confusion and
turmoil must ever result from making gov
ernInent an agency for the dispensatiOn of
special favors in response 10 selfish deDa Dds.
II is disoyal TO the fundamental principles
ofa just government to make such denia nds.
Let the masses of the people once perceive
that justice is the chief object OF "a govern
meut for md by tie people; that any man
cia;mng more than this thereby places him
self in the ca tegory OF the robber or beggar,
and men of ordinary sensibiities will shrink
from the humiliation due to such classfiCa-
ton. .r...
Possibly some, socialist may reply that
| Natural selection and the survival of the
fittest in the struggle for existence is
the natural la w and that we are trying to
resist it. Arguments of this kind are often
amusngly ridiculous in disclosing q latent
belief on the part OF those who plead the
natural law, that il is not strong enough to
take care of itself.
We are virtually told occasionally. that We
must add to the natural advantages en-
inyed by the vigorous and strong, by giving
them artificial stimulants in the shape of
monopoly powers, in order to help nature
preserve their species. The truth is. that
the families Of the pampered rich, reared in
the hot bed of privileged luxury. constant
ly tend to extinction. This is largely due
to their disinclination to assume the re-
sponsihilities and duties of married life, or
OF postponing marriage for many years
through failure to find partners of equal
importance and station in point of wealth.
GOAL OF THE SINGLE-TAXERS.
But it is needless TO reply to arguments
from this source. Those would-b be phloso-
piers, who apologize for injustice on this
ground, are in constant conflict with each
other, as we have previously intimated,
and to this extent they fail to become work
ing factors in the problems of social life.
Nor is justice in conflict with nature. 1t
is the natural product of reason directed to
the question of how we should make society
harmonious and peaceful. %.
But justice demands much to which we
are unaccusto omed. and the weak minds and
timid natures are often falsely frightened
into a vague belief that the demand will be
made chiefly upon them. Itbehooves u.s. as
believers in just government, to eradicate
this error. Practically, from a survey OF
popular opinion and social theories, we
reach the conclusion that justice is the only
rule upon which we can hope to unite. All
other proposed rules have the quality of
vagueness and uncertainty, or consist of
mere whims and artificalities. We must.
therefore. acknowledge equal rights OF no
rights capable of definition.
Letus then fall back upon tha grand prin-
ciple proclaimed in Magma Charta: