The Washington herald., 1907-06-17
Economic Democracy.

/ TaIcott Williams. Of the Philadelphia
Press. made a notable address at CoIum-
I bia University last week. IN which he
! discusse, the rise Of an economic democ-
Iracy. By economic democracy is meant the
application to economic forces Of the prin-
/ ciples Of democratic government, the tend
/ enCy 10 which is so striking a charac-
/ teTistic of modern political thought and
action. Mr.. Williams took the view that
recent economic legislation, like that which
| has marked President Roosevelts admin
/ istration, is but the application ito a new
/ field of those principles of equal rights, Of
equal duties, Of mutual service, and Of
mutual responsibilities" which the found
ers Of the republic had in mind when they
issued the Declaration Of Independence
and formulated the Constitution. 1T is a
democratic economy" he says, when the
whole power Of a great government is
exerted not only TO deal out even handed
justice in the courts and TO preserve self
rule in the nation, but TO render It GER
purchaser is 50 ignorant that the first
born OF the woman behind the mill shall
not be as certain of the purity Of the food
which its mother buys as the son Of
Pharaoh" Mr. Williams asks:
What are equal rates for all but the rising tide
Of equality for every shipper in transportation
What is the prohibition Of passes but another limit
On prvilegsi A pure food law. a pure meat law
are TOO narrowly considered when we look uuon
them as merely an extension Of the power and pro
lection q the state over the health Of the com
munity. Exactly as the first step in civil liberty
was to deprive the sovereign Of the power or temp
tation 20 dsbase tHe kings coin and 20 render GER
tain that all men should be az an equal advantage
in all their fuHre coutracts-f0r the American peo-
pie protection only gained ten years ago-so it is
natural accompaniment Of a democratic economy
that the broad shield Of law is extended to protect
the humblest against debased food OF a dubious
meat product
President Roosevelt justifes his eco
nomic policies on the same grounds, and
Mr. Root, it will be remembered, in his
fine defense Of the administrations cor
poration programme, pointed out that the
legal principles on which II IS founded are
deeply imbedded In the common law Of
English-speaking nations. and have
nodded the decisions Of judges for two
centuries. It was but necessary to apply
an old and well-established principle Of
justice to the complex and novel condi-
tons Of the present day in order to ar
rive at a method Of restoring and main
tanning the square deal in modern busi-
ness life.
That the ancient principles Of equity
and Justice are thus applicable to the
perplexing conditions Of our Industrial
order should relieve the apprehensions Of
those who fear the tendencies of the
times toward governmental interference
with matters heretofore left to regulate
themselves. That tendency, especially in
this country. is not so much toward So
Cialism as it is toward the maintenance
of the principle Of individual justice and
equality Of opportunity. Given these, and
the Individual may be trusted to work out
his own destiny. But 10 maintain eco
nomic justice nowadays it is necessary
to invoke more and more the authority of
the state in behalf OF the individual as
against immense combinations Of wealth
which may exercise a tyranny by the
side Of which feudal and imperial abuses