The independent., 1903-04-09
PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT

Mr. Rain Charges "Loose Construction
With Hariotry-strict Construction
Means Liberty
Editor Independent: Some time
ago you asked what the subscribers
had to say about organized capital
and organized labor, also, spoke
about an organized people. Under the
above caption, We will try and open
up a line of thought which may give
some light on the cause of SO much
erroneous doctrine about the rights
OF capital vs. labor We may be a
little tedious, but we will have only
one thought in view: that will be, the
purpose of governments. Govern
ernments that are for the
good Of al, must as far as possible
dispense justice to ALL privilege to
none. What should be the great end
Of government, is not to foster spe-
cial privileges, but TO foster the prin-
ciple that "all men are created equal"
ANY other Interpretation of consti-
tutional government. is not compatible
with the doctrine, that governments
derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed.
The great aim ard purpose of gov
ernments is not only to keep the rich
from depressing the poor, but as far
as possible, remove want and the fear
OF want. Its greatest powers should
not be to foster what some may call
class legislation, but to keep the chan
nels OF commerce open SO that the
proceeds Of labor will flow through.
II the sordiness of the human race
was removed, there would be no such
thing as the shunting of the pro-
ceeds of labor into the hands of the
ultra-opulent; wealth would not be
always in the throes of corruption,
nor would it accrue in the hands of
the few, unless the few gave due COM
pensation for such privileges: but on
the other hand would be a blessing to
all mankind; would in the way of
comforts for all make rs happy and
contented people, for the ultra-dis-
tinction Of wealth is the amount Of
happiness it dispenses, when it is
eqnitably distributed. The general
happiness of the community depends
on the distribution OF wealth. Wealth
that flows through the channels of
commerce, without any restrictions,
and gives to the toiling millions in
just the same proportion as they help
to swell the channels of commerce
with the products of labor, will be-
stow on the masses as much happi-
ness as human institutions are capa-
bic OF bestoWing. Human institutions
cannot be perfect; hut the philosophy
OF justice and equity should be so
prominent in the doctrines of govern
ment that the sincerity of liberty
loving citizens could easily be meas
ured by principles which are within
themselves immutable, indestructible
and self-evident
The first duty Of government is to
guarantee safety; without safety there
is no peace; without peace there could
be neither happiness nor liberty. The
only peace is that which makes hap
piness the paramount and fundamen-
tai principle of progress; a happiness
that is stultified by injustice, or which,
in other words, warps the aim of gov
ernment, is not compatible with the
theory of liberty. No people can
equitably adjust the workings of gov
ernment, where the natural channels
of commerce and social equity are
clogged with illicit legislation; for the
most exalted purpose of government |
is to keep intact those principles and
theories that are the bulwark, over
which the distribution of wealth can
flow, SO that the equitable proceeds
naturally falls in4o thosa ohannalc
which allow the producers of wealth
to gather, each and all alike, just
portion of wealth, as the fruits of his
toll.
We have two forms of constitutional
government: one which by a loose
construction centralizes the power in
to the hands of the few; in other