The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-10
Mr.. Marburg's Address.

Mr.. Marhirg said in part:
AT certain period of our develop
ment. liberty fSne to mean freedom
from restraint rs the State for the rea-
son that the State In the person of arbi-
trary rulers had been an oppressor. AT
that juncture It was highly Important to
take stand against State interference
in order to correct abuses But when
this was successfully accomplished the
fight for liberty was by no means won;
only the first stage of 1t was won. The
struggle had now to be directed against
the oppression arising outside the sphere
OF the state; !. G.. against certain insti-
tutions or customs, which give to cor
poratons and individuals the power to
Cypress others When the State has
been won over to the side of the people
and is administered by and for them
II at once becomes possible to Increase
the liberty of the average citizen by
having the State interfere with certain
practices. old or new, which curtail
that liberty.
The logical basis OF State interference
is the assumption that the unconscious
evolution which prevails In the animal
world becomes partly conscious and self
directed evolution when we reach man,
who thinks. This process Is greatly as
sisted by democratic institutions, under
which the people act more as single
organism. The united thinking Of the
many serves to develop a sense which no
individual enjoys. The world will never
be able to do without leaders. Progress
will still be ordered by the few. But the
significant thing is the growing ability
OF the masses to, choose between con-
tending ideas ad contending leaders.
which roau ho
killing off of the unfit. were relied upon
alone to modify ideas, false beliefs and
practices could disappear only with the
disappearance Of the people holding and
observing them. In human affairs the
conscious element, reflection, spares the
race this hardship.
Human Institutions have as their OBJ
ject the bringing into play Of natural
laws which are beneficial, and the avoid
ance OF acts which natural laws show
us to be harmful, The Institution of the
school is hased directly upon this prin-
ciple. With education the man becomes
the heir of all the past, the inherltor Of
the strivings of the human soul In the
fields of conduct, of religion. of art Of
imaginative literature; the sacrifice made
for fellowmen in 2 bygonei era is mada
again for him since knowledge of It stiff
fens his courage and purpose: what these
prophets have seen and these heroes
have done he can see and do: the larger
purposes of the world shine out through
all Its tangled and painful happenings:
that thing, more real than the solid
globe Itself, the will Of man. is seen IN
Its true light as the moving force of
history.
If men grow up In ignorance of the
past; If they are not taught to use this
tool civilization. which assumes so many
forms in mind and matter they are apt
to RIM counter to natural laws. and sur-
fer unnecessary liardships. The State
recognizes this fact and proceeds to In
\ terfere with the liberty Of the parent
| by compelling the parent to send the
child to school. The institution of the
church serves the double purpose of up
J holding the moral code which saves men
| from mutual destruction, and of Inn
| PLANTING Ideals which operate as posi-
| tive force,
There are several reasons why we
/ should move cautiouslyMln the matter.
| IN the first place, 1t becomes difficult In
The course of time To Judge whether the
| State is conducting an enterprise eco
| nomlcally, Data for Just comparison 1s
lacking. Moreover people do not exam
| Inc critically e.{cost ni state service,
If there be a deficit 1t IL covered IN the
general budget, the claim being made
that the people are gettlng the service
NJ less than cost. Again, are we llke1
~ TO have as rapid progress IN given
| INDUSTRY undar state ownership.
but even were 'eeoIa,n,y OF management
md progress not ut stake, there - ye'
N, element OF grave, danger ~ TINS
movement; | mean the evil which arises
! from multiplying the nunther % pup''s
| servants, as has beeM done In France
J This class lives upon the state ahs