The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-10
SERVICE IS THE TRUE
AIM Of DEMOCRACY
Herbert s. Bigelow Divines Diff
ference Between Democracy
and Monarchy.
Machinery of Our Government is
unprecedented Legisla-
ton Will Improve It.

CINCINNATI. O., Nov REV.
Herbert S. Bigelow at the Vine Street
congregational church last Sunday
gave utterance to the following:
There are two sharply contrasted
theories Of government. On one theory
the people are subjects; on the other
they are sovereigns. The drift of his
tory Is in the direction Of delnocra cy.
Arlstocracv In Europe Is making It's
last 2r n. ::ard d; Russia. Eut It IS
doomed. It is out Of joint with the
times. It is under the ban Of Chris
tianity
I'VE know that the princes Of the
Gentiles exercise dominion over them,
and they that are great exercise au-
thority upon them. But it shall not
be SO among you; but whatsoever will
be chief among you, let him be your
minister; and whosoever will be chief
among you, let him be your servant"
Democracy with a little ID" Is ap-
piled Christianity.
The aim of aristocracy is dominion.
The aim Of democracy is service. Ar
istocracy regards the people as SER
wants and their rulers as masters.
ers and they have servants but no
rulers. 1t Is remarkable that in those
days when the Caesars were masters
of the world there should have been
one democrat to challenge their right
to rule and to proclaim the doctrine
of democracy-that those who are ell
evated to office should be servants
and not masters Of the people.
Theory Of Our Republic is ImperishabIe
This democrat persisted on Golgotha
Hill. But that was not the end of his
truth. Today the most progressive
nations of earth are those which have
most fully recognized his truth.
The great excellence of our own Re-
public consists in this, that it was
founded on this Christian theory OF
service. 1t is the greatest experiment
| in democracy that the world has ever
witnessed.
The theory is sound to the core. But
! the application of the theory is not
| perfect. The machinery is defective
1t needs overhauling. There has beer
| should there not be Improvement In
the art of government?
| We would not be content with the
stage coach of our fathers. We have
substituted the harvester for thei,
| cradle, the cotton mill for their loom
We can improve upon the government.
tai machine which they devised.
| We cannot improve upon the theory
But we can give to that theory more
J consistent application. Our Republic
is confronted by serious evils These
are not the faults of democracy. They
are due to the elements of aristocrac3
which have survived in our presen
scheme Of government.
| The strain of recent years has shown
us the weak places in this machine Of
! government and We must remodel 4
! if it is to do the work our fathers ex.
pected of it.
The POLLEN is to make our govern.
ment more directly answerable to the
people, so that every quality of ruler.
ship shall disappear, and our official.
shall be, not only in name but in very
| truth, the servants of the people.
The Problem Solved.
! Without doubt, the Swiss Republic
has hit upon the device which Is need.
| ed to keep representative government
, from becoming misrepresentation. TIL,
referendum and the initiative are i'm.
perative safeguards.
| If those who would be first amont
us are to be our servants and not ou1
| rulers, it is necessary that we shoulf
have the power to make them do ou1
WILL" .v-.>.@. MI.
e