The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-05

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the State. All the moral actions of
men arise under physical conditions,
but they are not the causes of
moral action, nor do the conditions
affect the moral character of the
agent, OF the moral quality of his
acts. The physical conditions under
which moral actions are performed
and moral communities arise, result
from the fact that man is in part
physical being and lives and acts in
the physical universe.
There are no natural laws that man.
as a rational, free, and moral being
does not largely control or modify;
and it is one of the functions OF the
State to change and improve physical
conditions. The physical universe is
the home of man as citizen of the
State and his political as we'll as his
moral action is conditioned by space,
time, soil and climate, air, light, wat
er, electricity, land and sea, noun
tain and plain, hill and valley. For if
man acts, he must act at some time, in
some place, on some thing, and with
with some instrument. Here we have
necessity of the physical conditions
of human action. But conditions are
not the cause; they are the occasion
Of action. Man himself is the free,
rational and responsible cause; the
material universe the theatre on
which he acts, and physical forces
the instruments of his political action
as citizen of the State. Ethics at
taches to the rational responsible
agent, and not to the physical in
strument of human conduct. Man
is the ethical force and moral factor
in politics. The responsibility for the
political corruption and moral degra-
dation of the State is his. He, in a
republican form of government, is the
source of political power and authori-
ty. Our government is from the peo-
pie, by the people, and for the people,
and because of this, the people are
morally responsible for its admins
tration.
The primary source of all legisla-
tive, executive, and judicial power is
the people. This power they WELD
through the ballot in representa-
tive republic such as ours; and for the
wise use of this power they are NOR
ally responsible. We could not have
machine politics if the people were
honestly and strongly opposed to it.
A majority of the voters of the coun-
try, if they would unite, could vote
such politics and politicians down
and out, and it is their duty to do
it
Let the best and wisest men of all
parties attend the primaries, and see
to it that good, wise and reliable men
are nominated for Offices, and then
vote for them on the day of election,
and we shall have wise legislation,
pure administration, and a competent
and honest judiciary. Only in this
way can we conserve the bestinterest
of our country and transmit to I'M
born generations our republican form
of government, and free institutions.
To do this is our solemn sand imper-
alive duty as American citizens.
Here ethical law should control our
political action. At this point NOR
ais should come into politics as
both restraining and inspiring
influence. The influence of the
ethical teaching of Christ should
lift our political thought and faction
to a higher plane. The State sustains
very important relations to ethics.
1t is really an important function of
the State by its legislation to promote
ethical culture and advance social
purity. By this process ethical prin-
ciples become controlling influence
in human thought, feeling and action.
1t is only through the action of the
State that ethical principlesJ become
enacted into laws and in this way
attain legal status as educational
and restraining social forces. This
is necessary to the assured success of
all important moral and social re-
forms. Without this all our efforts
in this direction practically fail to at
tain permanent, practical reform.
This is because, until thoughts and
principles become embodied in laws
and institutions. thew are abstract