Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-08-15
WHAT is PATERHAIISM7

A~ N SeAh NM hotninS else 10 talk
or write about he works himself into a
fury over the tendency of the Republi-
can party toward paternalism and cen
tralization.
1t now looks like the Democracy is
going to destroy its asset of long stand
ing. With Mr.. Bryan's advocacy of gov
eminent ownership and the rapid ten
dency to absolutism in the local govern
ment of Virginia and other Southern
States the Democratic party is placing
itself in a position that will forbid it's
further talking about paternalism. A
few days ago the Richmond News Lead
er, in somewhat regretful and despon-
dent spirit, wrote upon the subject of
"Paternalism." 1t said:
Those of us who call ourselves Dem
ocrats, most of us with exceedingly
dim notions of what we mean, are pref
ty well united on just one thing. That
Is, opposition to what we call paternal-
ism IN government. We resent with
much heat the idea that the government
should undertake to be parent to the
citizen. We like to swell out our chests
and feel that the American is a free
man; boss of himself, manager of his
own affairs, standing fiat and firm on
his own feet and asserting his own indi-
vidualIty. Yet we are drifting steadily
toward paternalism in our local affairs. "
The News Leader then sets forth a
few of the things that are being done in
Virginia in the way of violation of the
Democratic idea of anti-paternalism.
among its citations being the free pub
lie schools for the education of the chill
dren of citizens, the establishing of cur
few laws, and the proposal to pass "a
prohibition law to say to the citizen that
neither he nor his family shall buy or
use intoxicants, or anything that by ex-
cessive use may be made an intoxicant:
and an anti-cigarette law to say to the
citizen that he shall not use tobacco in
a certain form"
Our Richmond contemporary then
says:
The question is, how far shall this
go, and where shall we stop? Paternal-
ism and socialism practically are the
same because they tend to the same
end, which is the control by the gov
eminent of all private affairs, and the
destruction of individuality, indepen-
dence, individual responsibility and
competition.
This question of the News Leader is
very pertinent, as to Virginia; and might
be enlarged by asking how far the con-
trolling party has gone in the way of
administering and making laws.
Paternalism is the foundation on
which all truly good constitutional gov
eminent is based and organized. There
may have been a time when paternalism
and socialism meant nearly the same
thing. But the socialism that exists in
this country now is more akin to anarch-
ism or absolutism. 1t is the outgrowth
Of the germ of revolution and anarchy
which Thomas Jefferson planted in the
heart of the doctrine of States Rights,
and which impels the so-called advo-
Gates of States Rights to substitute for
the beneficent principle of paternalism
vicious absolutism and possible anarchy.
Though constantly charging that
the Republican party is building
up strong centralized govern
ment by the employment of paternal
the Virginia and the South
ernDemocrats have been introducing and
enforcing absolutism, pretending that
they are acting under the reserved
rights of the States. In Virginia 9 con-
Vention was called and a new constitu-
lion made without the sanction of ma
Iority of the people. That constitution
was proclaimed and is now In operation
Without the consent of the people. and
n violation of the precedents of the
'athers and ''of the fundamental prin-
'iples underlying the making of all con-
titutions. 1t has deprived hundreds
# thousands of citizens of the right to Z
'ote, and the chief opportunity of as
erting their individuality. 1t has
rampled under foot the old and sacred !
octrine that there should be no taxa :
ion where representation is denied. The q
'irginia Democracy, while decrying pa
ernalism, have established oligharchism -
r absOlutism and robbed the citizano 90 u