The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-10-04

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arising from the undue conservatism
Of the dominant class, and its oppress-
ion OF the lower classes, who are ex.
plotted for the benefit of their
masters.
HOW POWER Is PRESERVED.
History reveals to us the methods
which dominant classes Of every age
have employed to preserve their
power and privilege when their ex-
elusive enjoyment Of them are no
longer necessary to social develop |
ment. The most common method in
earlier times was that Of awakening
the fear Of the oppressed by means of
punishment inflicted for violation Of
the criminal code, which is always
consciously or unconsciously predom-
inantly inspired in the interest of the
ruling class The brute strength of
an army, created ostensibly. for de-
Tending the state against foreign
foes was displayed to prevent the
revolt Of the people against the in
Justices which the dominant class
practiced upon them. The religious
sentiment, present in every man, aud
the religious institutions which are
the outward expression Of il, have
been employed to support the dom
inant class in the enjoyment Of its
special privileges. Again, every stu
dent is familiar with the manner 10
which the ruling class by one means
Of another has perverted the thought
Of the people until they have believed
that their own interests were best
served by remaining in their condi-
tion Of subsection. A public opinion
favorable to the practices of tine class
in power has always been created.
AS Lincoln said, kings bestrode the
nRcks of their people, not because
they wanted to do it, but because the
people were better off for being rid
den. This instinct Of self-preserva-
tion, manifested throughout history
e by the dominant class, explains alsC
0 the long prevalence OF the idea thai
e some men were born to rule while
e Others existed only to be ruled.
0 "The idea Of divine right, helC
u from time immemOrlal, and fOrmu
y lated in England in the reign of james
d IL, the idea that God looked will
: special favor upon monarchy in com
y parison with other forms Of govern
N ment, and that accession by primo
Ie genture was especially divine, ante
l. dating both the Christian and Mosai
lr dispensation, owed its birth and 1t
n tenacious life to the support it ren
D dered to the ass in power. Th
IL same effort of dominant classes t
3 preserve themselves In their dom
a inant position accounts for the oppC
le sition to knowledge which has chal
q acterized in the past both politics
er and ecclesiastical rulers. From th
~ early period of society when, accorC
TX ing to the tradition, our first parenl
le were prohibited from eating {
IS fruit OF the tree of knowledge, dow
40 to Calico, who was compelled to DO
sc the knee before the inqulSitori
ed court Of Rome and recant his teacl
iug that the sun is the center Of OIL
ba system aud the earth revolves arouI
- it, on down to .the days of Huxlt
NC who, for the advocacy of the evol
", onary hypothesis, was tainted
p) Bishop Wilberforce with being Il
IN. descendant Of a monkey, and even
- present day when the solideSt resul
" Of science are met with ridicu
D. those whose interests are opposed
ch the advancement OF knowledge, tn
lss method OF seli-pre,cryatiou has be,
~, practiced. This explains, too, wi
~ the ruling classes have so often 0
uO posed popular education, why no a
tention was paid in England to Il
,ry education Of the people until 1873
is for instance, and why it did not b
=. come general and compulsory uni
W 1867. We cannot understand II
Co. difficulties attending the social que
to tion of to-day, nor take the first ST
er- towards It's solution until we compr
20 bend the fact, aud the reason for
- that no matter how irrational or he
'ie lnconvenient, or how Injurious or he
be fragrantly monstrous a social stu
let lion may he, there will always
nv those who will rush to its defense.
1.-The emphasis have laid up
our economic institutions and I
ms necessity Of securing for the peoI
sJs economic freedom and an equitat
no distribution OF the worlds goOC
90 must not be taken as 40 indication
a belief thai wealth or the Satisfl
l.t. a !. 4