The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-23
SUNDAY. JUNE %. 1907.
nm not so lost in photography
ns to forget thnt words nrc the
daughters of earth, and thnt things
nre the sons OF hcaycn.-Dr. john
son.
AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.

AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.
The address of Mr. Alfred J.. Thorn,
q distinguished citizen of Virginia, be-
fore the graduating class OF the Uni
versity of Georgia, on American Citi-
zenship." has attracted public atten-
ton. and naturally so. The subject
was well chosen for such an occasion,
and few men are better qualified to
discuss 1t than Mr.. Thorn. He is an
able lawyer, and FOR years he has been
student OF politics and government.
Mr.. Thorn is an optimist, but in some
of the questions which he asked there
was suggestion OF mistrust which
did not square with the more cheerful
tone of his concluding remarks.
He showed that from the days OF
Magma Charta the power of the people
had grown until "now. within the last
two years, the people, having been led
to believe, justly or unjustly, that the
power Of money was assuming dan
gerous proportions in public affairs
arose in their might and asserted their
supremacy. leaving property without
influence and at the mercy. subject to
constitutional restrictions alone. of the
popular will. In ali our history the
power of majority Of the people
whenever they have chosen to assert It,
question is no longer where the power
resides, but how 1t Will be exercised
VIII 1t be exercised with Justice and
moderation, SO as to give protection to
minorities. stability to rights OF
property, and permanency to our
institutions, or will 1t be exercised In
caprice, in passionate resentment, or
In thoughtless disregard OF the weak
and defenseless? The power Of the
people, the power OF democracy, has
been enthroned-what use will the peo-
pie make of their power?
what will prevent the majority, by
an exercise OF power, from taking
what it wants from the minority?
What will retard its natural tendency
toward socialism,"
We might reply in general terms
that the American spirit will prevent
it-the spirit which animated the
founders Of the republic and which
was passed along from generation to
3 generation. So long as that spiri,
lives the people will not abuse their
power; when 1t dies the republic will
die. That spirit is but another name
for American character, and in con-
that he was firm believer IN
the final triumph of the character
and sense of Justice of the American
people. So are we, and we will add
in their common sense. They are not
SO foolish as to swap democracy for
socialism,.
But one Of the questions which Mr.
Thorn put to the students may well be
considered by the officers G the cor
porations. Have the trusts. as they
considered the rights OF the mi
nority? Have they always considered
the rights Of the public? Tt Is certain
that some OF them have not done so
and that Is why the people are rising
up and shifting them. It was the
lawlessness and arrogance OF corpora.
lions that brought on the crusade
against them, and it Is high time they
were considering the question raised
by Mr.. Thorn. The corporations them.
selves can do more than any other
+ agency to retard the tendency to-
wards socialism," of which Mr.. Thon
+ speaks, aud, especially the tendency
towards anti Incorporation legislation
\. There is no prejudice per sc against
corporations. Why should there be;
The opposition is to their methods
II the corporations will live honestly
and treat the public fairly the public
Will give them square deal and pro.
tect them in all their property rights
But II they undertake to deprive the
people OF their rights and to lord /,
over them. they will find that the spiri,
OF the Revolution. which threw off the
British yoke. Is as live and strong as
ever. This is no platitude. The
American people have keen sense
of justice and fair play; but they
demand for themselves the same
measure OF Justice they mcte. Ii cor.
4 porations would plead equity the,
must do equity; and that's the whole
e OF It,.
They are very foolish not to set thu
example
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