Evening journal., 1902-07-25
THE CITIZENS CONTRACT

All organized human society is based
on contract. There could be no peace
happiness. progress or contentment
without a series of agreements, express
or implied From the family govern
ment to the national government and
from social to business life.what makes
life tolerable and property secure is the
obligation OF contract. II is seen in
mutual obligation of marriage, in the
agreements Of business, and in the
compact between States. Government
itself rests upon an impli6d agreement
between individuals, and between the
mass and the individual.
The theory of government is that
each person shall give some valuable
thing in return for protection and other
benefits. We are protected In life and
property. freed from annoyancesi and
helped in our struggle for existence byI
the community of which we are part.
Without the contract OF government we
should sink into eayagery. where pas
sion and lust would be the determining
factors. and where no authority would
be recognized but physical power.
Society is based on the sacredness ef
contract: there is an implied under
standing that agreements shall be
kept. To that end we have our courts
which are busy in the endeayor 10
compel men to live up TO their obliga-
tions, express and implied. The duty Of
keeping faith is recognized by divine
law. insisted on in ethics, and enforced
by every government worthy OF the
name Every citizen is under a con-
tract with the State with the national
government. and with his county and
municipality. 1t is an agreement that
win be enforced in law Every time a
man offers to vote or accepts the pro-
lection OF the government, he is ac-
knowledging the compact There is
scarcely moment in our lives when
we are not the benehciaries.
What are some OF the parts of the
citizens agreement? That he shall con-
tribute TO the support of the govern
ment by paying taxes, that he shall
obey the laws. and not be guilty of in
Jury to individuals or to the mass
Furthermore. he is regarded as a par
of the government. and as a factor II
determining the laws under which his
fellows are to live. and the officers who
are to execute them. The voter is un
der a contract with the government t
cast his ballot in accordance with hi
best intelligence and full honesty. III
has no more moral or legal right to sci
his vote them he has TO receive ant
dispose of stolen goods. The State i
entitled to the benefit Of the citizen
unbiased judgment as expressed in tn
ballot. and 20 sell Il, ne sells what
not hia The man who buys votes, buy
what he knows does not belong to tn
voter, but to the State. and his pos
tion, too, is indefensible on moral c
legal grounds.
Is we expect from the State a fu
and fair performance of its contract
that is. if we expect it to preserve O
der, punish crime, promote the gener
welfare and keep taxation at the min
mum. our part Of the obligation cal
for the highest discharge of the duti
of citizenship. It makes loyalty al
good faith to the government suprer
and excuses party loyalty only VIII
through that means we may best exc
the proper influences Of good citize
ship. AS honest men keep the ms
riage contract inviolate, as they rega
their word in business as a bindi
obligation. so they should determine
observe without reservation their p
Of the contract that is implied in C
zenship.