The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-12
Be like the promontory. which.
though the waves continually break
against II, stands firm, and tamcs
the fury of the water around it,
Marcus IturcliuS.
oun NATIONAL SIN.

The most important lesson of tn,
late crisis is that as people we have
been indifferent, almost to the point
OF criminality. TO public affairs. unuI
the Spanish War forced it Upon us, we
took little or no part in the politics OF
the world. We built Il protective tariff
wall around our borders and painted
upon Ii the sign. NO entangiing al
lionces.'' The motto as handed down
TO US by President Washington was
good but its meaning was sadly per-
verted. Washington never designed
that 1t should have the significance Of
eSclusiveness and seclusior, But that
we have been exclusive: that we have
been Indifferent TO foreign affairs; that
we have done little to increaseI our
trade with foreign nations and much
10 impede 1T. are simple propositions
that cannot be inteliigently denied. We
have acted very much as though this
were nation sufficient unto itself,
and that We were abundantly able to
live within ourselves, in disregard OF
the politics or the trade of the outside
world. True, we are now paying more
attention to our foreign relations. po-
litically speaking, but it is because the
situation has been forced upon us.
But that is not the worst of 1T. We
have paid but scant attention, except
in emergencies, TO domestic politics, TO
matters of public concern, 20 our tinan-
cial and industrial institutions, and to
: measures necessary to their regula-
,ion. We set up as another motto
Eternal vigilance is the price Iof lib
crty." but we allowed it to become q
dead letter. The principal watching
we have done has been over our private
affairs. and. in great part, public al.
fairs have been left to shift for than
{ selves. We have allowed political rings
to control legislation at Washington,
at the State capitals. and in the coun-
ties and municipalities We have al
lowed corporation lobbyists 80 dictate
tariff Legislation, and sometimes trust
and railroad legislation. we nave al
lowed land grabbers to seize the pub
lie domain for private USE and to
devastate our forests. We have al
lowed railroad corporations 10 Job their
stocks, give rebates. practice discrimi-
nation, and ignore the public Interest.
BY our&tariff,s laws we har.. discour-
standardization and fostered monopo-
lies We have permitted INSURANCE
6np l,v
TO employ the funds committed into
their keeping In private speculation.
Our regulative laws in their operation
have been more in the interest of CO..
porations than in the interest of tie
individual citizen. And all the while
i, we have boosted of another motto
Equal rights to all. special privileges
10 none
g Can any one of these statements be
refuted? The record and the results
speak for themselves.
Coming down to municipal affairs.
we have bartered away many valuable
franchises for a trifle and allowed
rriNate corporations TO exploit them to
then, own enrichment, While we have
piled up municipal debts to proviuc
conyeniences. We have maintained
clumsy and expensive forms of NUM-
cipai government, largely for the bene-
III OF olnceholders and other employees.
and in many cases we have allowed
political oligarchies to plumber the pub
lie treasury. =
How can these things have been,
when all power was vested in the peo-
PIE themselves? Simply because the
voters We're Indifferent and inattentiye
20 PUBIC affairs. Our national sin has
been our individual negligence. We
have sacrificed the public interest to
personal interest. We have delegated
our powers as a people TO men whom
we have chosen by our own ballots to
rule over US, And now that the crisis
aas come; now that our eyes have been
opened, there is a great outcry from
the people, and we are heaping censurc
upon others. when the blame. prlma /.
rily, lies ut our own doors. There
comes also cry for reform, and for
Ri sorts of rigid regulations, aud this
brings US face to face with new dan
ger. The danger now is that the reac-
lion will go too far ana destroy instead
OF reform, u is critical period in the
history OF the nation ana the outcome
FOR good or for bad will not only de.
2end upon orr capacity 70. self-gov.
ernInent but will put TINT capacity IL
the proof Rarely in the history Of the
republic has there been so urgent ;
demand for the exercise Of orr virtues
.s as @ selt-governing people. for self
restraint. for se.t-poise, for zeal witl