New-York tribune., 1901-03-24
GOVERNMENT BY PUBLIC OPINION.
PRESIDENT HADLEY's SUBJECT AT UNIvER
sITY OF CALIFORNIA ANNIVERSARY.

Berkeley. Cal. March 2S.-Charter Day was cele-
brated here to-day. the occasion being the thirty
third anniversary of The founding Of the University
Of California. The faculty. in caps and gowns.
sembled at 1850 a. m and marched across the coll
lege campus the gymnasium, where the exer-
clses were held Tho Grafton was delivered by
president Arthur T. HadIey OF Yale, whose sub
ject was Government BY Public Opinion Presi-
dent Hadley said in part:
There are two theories OF democratic govern
" and the socfas{i Ybcb res aHv on the
hhoses OF these Gitlzens acting as a BODY Nelther
With regard to the individualistic theory this is
now generally admitted Self-nterest has done
IS a powerful stimulant to good. but neither n
economics nor in morals is it that panacea for so
ago thought it 70 be- Free conpetiti6n was far
better than the old systems of class legislation
which it superseded But we cannot have free com
petition everywhere. nor certain that in those
degree of justice as was once supposed.
Under these circumstances the socialists, and
evils be controlled by the CT the machinery OF
in the public interest IS in some respects more
epParsnt ejdo than real democratic governInent Is
power 1t lacks the compelling force behind il
what is ev5Ty6odys % BUSINESS o IS m MOODY business
and ana laws which were passed with enthusiasm
and tenacity of purposes This difTcuity is seen
W Wnen we compare our own foreign policy with tHat
IN the use Of the lawmakirg power. II devises its
in nothing except evasion and Inconvenience.
Nor is it always desirable that they should end
otherwise statute passed by a majority, and
in the face Of reluctant minority, does not repre-.
sent the will Of the people The constitution OF
the United States far from sanctioning unlimited
rlghts Of the majority against minority, IS nlled
exercise of such rightsrestrictions devised in the
govern US. but it does not encourage the intrusion
!ato4 where class and personal interests are ar
rayed one against the other
4
hti1al and moral order, and overleglsaton an evil
must go back to the true principle of self-govern-
ment-government based on public sentiment
misunderstood Whenever large number of peo-
pie want thing We hear il said that there Is
public sentiment in its favor This IS not neces-
sarily true. Even the fact that majority may
it has this basis The desire may be simply the out
come Of Widespread personal interest Much;
on the fact that the critics do not own them-that
trey nHq themselves al me ~r0ps eng oI Ger Ian IAN
really believes that a trust IS bad thing ana
were their beneficiary he cali his opposition 70
them by the honorable title Of public spirit And II
may be added that most OF the actual reform IN
trust abuses has been thus made from inside, by
the self-respect Of their owners But If the critic
tising a large scale-ulakng every effort 10
not being oyerscrupulous as 70 the means by which
this is brought about-hls words count for nothing
be in this position their aggregate work is not
likeIv 10 reach further than the passage OF a GER
tain amount OF class legislation 1t cannot be too
often repeated that those opinions which a man Is
prepared 70 maintain at arothers cost. but at
his own. count for little II forming the general
sentiment OF the community.
Some morausts would deny the possibility OF the
existence OF any pubtc opinion tndepeHdent eI OF
selllslness- buy lhey nae n i.cls o.
against them Iae social ana poiItca lI.SIInct ~
mankind is strong that people are LED under
pwn personal convenience. and even against their
own interest. in order 10 subseTve the needs OF
given 70 the feeling which gives effect 10 these
4
free people. II must and will develop prob
lens develop. The man who says that II cannot
OF the power OF such sentiment when once
ing investigations al West Point show how mucn
srolger IS an un|rLten CCee OF i3ilqE ~ y = e sUs1
But It be thus aroused 20 do any large portion
Il may be frankly admitted that IL viii not do all
those things for which numbers Of people nov de-
sire legislation. This. however, is merit rather
than fault: for If we once recognized that public
opinion was the source OF authority, should
cease TO try to impose prohibition in where it
does not prohibit or 70 pass corporat;;o5n avs q VS.
enforcing nothing. Even in times gone by the e.
upon the public understanding OF the SITUATION man
upon the actual letter OF The duties imposed II
ve.opnlent Of public opinion has been treated as
mere accident much more may we expect II 70
@ me force oG9l"q T d % 1eo s ca acceDi ceerfuIv
tb b,,rdaTe in,6osed n he duties of private life
there is inherent reason why they should Tan
nova iHtI5ned 70 make hight OF their obligations 70
others is not due 70 any inca paCiry for taking Such
obca tions seriously II Is due the fact that they
have been taught TO regard business and politics
as games with obligations profounder than the
rules and authority higher than the umpire
Exactly what rules OF conduct public opinion
would prescribe wuat specific obligations the
public conscience when once aroused. would regard
as binding in matters like those, II Is TOO early 10
say II is enough for the moment 10 call atten-
tion 10 the necessity and the possibility or suCh
6avaopnent The power of public opinion IN Its
true sense lies the time unused but II is an In
srurnent fitted 10 the needs OF soctety-stronS
tism is required. capable OF indefinite expansion
without threatening the foundat tons OF selt-Sover-
The question is often asked What constitutes
the essential mark of a gentleman. as distinct
from the accidents Of birth and OF clothes OF man
in the readiness TO accept trusts even when they
arc pars1ualv disadvautaEeous-the readiness 70
s1rbordfnata a mans convenience and desires
10 = social code The code may be n good one or
a bad one; but il is authority which the gentle
man acceDts of his owr free Will without waiting
for any one 70 compel him TO accept II To the
extent that he does this he not only proves himself
n gentleman bur proves himself capable or SELF
govern nent In this sense I believe that the great
b0dv OF the American peOple are gentlemen, ana
sibiIitv of maintaining democracy Is due 70 the
fsc+ thar fncrea sed readiness 10 accept selr-1n-
nosa5 burdens has gone hand in hand with increase
Of commercial and political power II Is 1or the
fhe larger worlds Of business and legislation the
spirit which will subordinate personal convenience
- collective honor. In this development OF the
,rivcnIe Of political trUsteeship lies the hope or
the republic for its future
NEW POWER COnP4NT N MONTREAL.