The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-11-25

Street. Mutuai 1shoNe. ao'.
fnfnsd stnioss accompanied by sta!nl,S @--
r;I DAY. NOVEMBER p. 1907
-.-.-.--s7- -
TIE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT.
oar e.see,ned contemporary. the Nor
fs5; yissinian-Pilot. says that all NO
1,ssaieEctforts TO make The Times unae'
sfsrSi that government is not mercy
matter OF principle. but Is also a ihat.St
L ~ nal5c, has failed THE Times VIII
nave it, it4declarcs, that Cover ii.siet'.
is wholly a matter of bald principae' ai'o
sha, once a principle is adopted II mus,
be pushed to the last extreme.
i, declares that there is no such thlns
as nm absolute principle in government.
and adds:
ar tllon a principle is subject always
~ Limitations imposed by GOOD JUICE
800, ~, common sense, and if all gov
crnment is the result OF TINS coihPio-
,,,tsea y.,x a ssiIl,1e that once the govern
,,,e,,t undertakes to compel settlement
NJ labor troubles whereby the pubic IN
1erest lis suffering. we must necessarily
have aespotism or the commune.
THAT the principles that were Eood
enough for the patriarchs are so9d
enough for US. we cheerfulls ADMIT. ia lD'
what We do not admit is that the
methods the pat:iarchs used IN all,,s.
ing them are sufficient for the present
dav and the existing organization OF
3 society.
And furthermore, there is absolutely
no new principle involved in the right
of &c State to compel. say, he ope a
zion of a coal mine in case of a strike.
The onls. principle is the right OF me fl,
government to protect an innocent u 20
: marty from injury. and if that is not
IN old principle and one well estahlisheue'
then we know of none that is
y,be Times has. not commended that there
is no such thing as policy in govern.
ment. nor have we contended that even
the ba sic principles upon which the gov.
ernncnt is founded must be enforced to
the letter. regardless of conditions or
circumstances We do not content even
for absolute liberty. for there is no such
thing as absolute liberty, except among
savage tribes, whore each man is law
unto himself. In government there must
be concession Of certain rights Tor inc
common good. Because our government
IS founded upon the principle of personal
liberty il cannot be commended that a
ndu has the liberty under government
10 trcspass5ppon the rights of his neigh
Dor. There is certainly no disagreement
+etween8 The virginian-Pilot ard The
Times Oh these points
we go farther and say that although
Democracy is opposed to communism,
ali government is necessarily sociaiistic
the postal service is social'stic. the pub
lie school system is socialstic. the own
ersllip and operation Of public utilities
in the cities is soeialistic.
Isut for all this there IS a principle
and our contentienzis that we should nor
depart from 1T any farther or any ottener
than is absolutely necessary for the sooi
/. OF society. Democracy believes and al
WAYS has believed in the greates- Tost
d sible liberty to individuals cons stent with
rood government and civilization. ard
has always commended that the best GOV
erned people are the least governed PEG
ME. ouracontenapora will bear us out
IN the statement that The Times has
eyer insisted upon the gid enforcement
of the laws. insisted upon re cosnition
=. the pcWcrs that he, insisted upon
obedience to law. aud has protested
against every form of lawless hess.
But for all that The Times rescnts and
a..t,
upon the liberty of the individcal. every
unwarranted interference of cove .alnen.
with the rights of the people and with
the private affairs of life, and has pro-
tested against every departure from the
principles OF Democracy and every step
cede that the government has the right
10 interfere In disputes between man and
man or organization and organization
so long as there is no violence, long
as there is no trespass. even though some
Innocent third party may suffer. II, for
example, two of the Norfolk newspapsrs
should get into a rate war and cut sax
scriptions and advertising rates, we dc
not concede that he government Would
fts p !
have the right to interfere even though
\ third newspaper in Norfolk. which was
no party to the fight, might be injured
In its business.
The Times supports the public scho0:
system because there seems t. BIZ no
other way Of educating the mass 81 d
education is necessary to preeress i!a,'
Asselopnlen. and public morals. 8'lz we
60 not overlook the fact that even n
this beaeacent System there is luck
fDe danger to which NE have time and
again called attention. 1t is danger
Gus thing for the government TO under
take to educate The children. and 50
when it has been proposed that the gov
eminent teach the children their lessons
in religion. and when it has been pro-
,,osca 10 give free clothing and free