The times., 1899-11-13

Rev Dr. Kent delivered an interesting
discourse on the Right and Duty Of Self
Government"
Strictly speaking" said the doctor
self government is purely individual 1t
no more contemplates subsection to a ma
iCri,y than to a king. It cOntemp.ates self
rule. self direction only, and is opposed to
all Interference with this, whether by one
Of by many. In the long list of compound
words having the prefix self the indi-
vidua1 sense is constant Indeed, self gov
ernment, when applied TO people, always
implies unity OF idea Differences Of de
sire and opinion among the members Of
one political body are thought of under
aralories furnished by the conflict be-
tween the lower and higher nature in the
individual and so self government has a
secondary meaning with its primary sense.
This is the more apparent when We
consider that in our own country the term
is now made to cover not only majority,
but minority, rule We call ourselves a
self governed people, though the greater
part of the time in recent years, men are
elected to Office by a minority vote.
The term self government is not, in
my opinion, properly descriptive even of
our theoretical system Even in theory
We do not govern ourselves. We simply
agree to submit TO majority rule, and this
is not self government in any real sense. l
have spoken of it as a right WHAT do
mean Do I mean the rlght of the lndi-
vidual to think. speak and act as he
Dleases. regardless Of the comfort, vel
fare. happiness Of any others? Certainly
not This would be the right not 20 gov
ern oursef-a wholly different thing.
Government, by whOmsOever administered,
means control regulation, direction with
reference 10 some law or standard Of ac-
tiOl. And this not the less when the in
dividual 70 be governed is himself the
governing power Self government i'm
plies self-contr0l seIf-directi0n, with ref
erence to that standard of right and duty,
which, to the self-gOverned, appears EiOst
obligatory or binding. Self government,
therefore. IS not anarchy-noJ the abolition
of goyernment-but government by the
party most directly and seriously affected
by the right.
Observe, too, that this right Of self
government in no way conflicts with any
just government under which the individ-
ual exercising such right may happen to
live. No righteous law is d terror 70 any
such law has no eXistence-that is, no
external statutory existence. II does not
interfere with his freedom in the least
degree. nor Jay upon him any burden which
he has not already assumed. What then,
is the ground Of this right2 Its necess. ty
TO life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi-
ness. fu other words, TO the attainment
by man. OF the real end indicated by his
powers.
Man has a right to the control and
direction of himself. because he has right
TO become all that he is capable Of becom-
ing and TO enjoy all that he is capable of
enioying-has right TO reach out for the
highest and best that is possible to him
as a human being Whatever degree of
freedom and OF self-direction is necessary
10 this end every man is entitled to
and no person or Government may right
fully encroach upon or Interfere with It,.
In alljhis I am speaking OF natural
Fights-of rights as they exist under the
law written in our being, and wrought
into the very structure Of man and so--
iety. Society has no more right to create
q law for the government Of the individual
than he has 10 create one FOR himself.
The business OF both is to find out what
the law is as already written in the con-
stiJutioH OF our being, and to shape neces-
sary legislation in accordance with this.
The larger the area OF fTeedom-the
area within which only reason and moral
sussion can be used, and efficiently used,
10 influence action-the larger the degre e
of self-goyernmeut. and the greater tle
growth OF that character for which self
government exists. The right Of self gov
ernmeHt is sacred in the least developed
as in the most developed peoples and it
should be the special care OF all advanced
y.fr- TO ha4
which they exercise. should enlarge tEe
area of individual freedom. and develop
an ever increasing degree Of self govern
meut in those over whom il is exercised.
Il have spoken also OF the duty OF self
government. 1t is not mercy the ight or
privilege of the individual TO govern him
self il is his bOunden duty right
always has duty as its correlative. Men
could net have any rights if they had NO
duties. They have rights that they may
perform duties-rights that they may do
right. And if there were no such things
as duties there could be no such things as
rights.
THE right of self-government is sacred
because the duty Of government is
urgent imperative II is the supreme con
ditiou OF individual development, Of at
intellectual growth and moral attainment
which make for, and constitute, high
character. in which alone man can find
his rJue life. his real happiness.
Understand me I am not speaking OF
self-govsrnmsEt in the general or political,
but in The individual sense OF the Term
the only real sense. I am speaking Of tina!
szIf-mast Ely. that seif-cOHro, that self
direction Of powers and energies to end
consonaut with our normal Development as
human beings which IS the esz 5utial con-
Gulon or usefulness ard happiness This
is a very different sort of self government
from that which consists in an effort "a
govern others. Politically lf-goyerRmenl
at It's best is the rule Of the majority, the
putting into force and operation in the
economy of the nation such laws, measures
policies. as the majority see I'll TO demand
and these often injurious TO both the vic
t0rl0us and the defeated party This is no,
intended as an argument against majority
rule not against that even which more fre-
queIty happens--the rule Of the smaller
fraction. / am simply pointing out that
this Is something very different from real
salI-go government and should be taken fol
what il is, and not for what It Is not No
man is really fitted 10 take part in the
government of others Eho has not learned
10 govern himself and a community OF
people who have learned as individuals
the art Of Eelf-cUurOl and self-directiou
need very little governing al the hands OF
the State With such people the protec-
tive OF police function Of government be
comes practically needless, and the whole
energy Of the government can be given tC
those admin istr ratiye functions which grow
more and more numerous with civilization
advance
Never before In the history Of the ma
tion was the need Of self governing people
80 great Whatyer bluHders have been