Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1909-10-11

But I'm supposed to look at thing.
from political, governmental stand
point, and the text appeals to me more
strongly in that regard possibly. than
in any other, because of some acute
matters. Popular government we all
approve. though sometimes we don't
think or know exactly why we do APP
prove. / think we mistake frequently
the ends for means. We talk about
liberty as something to be accomplish
ed as an end. We think popular gov
ernment is something to be accom-
plished as an end. Well. neither is
true. Liberty is the means OF the pur-
suit of happiness. Popular government.
we have, because we believe in the
long run it is the best government and
that it makes the most people happy.
But we cannot run a popular gov
ernment merely by calling it so. You
have got to have some means Of deter
mining what shall direct the course
Of government: what shall decide
That is the majority.
Now you cannot have-a decent pop
ular government unless the majority
conquers itself; that is. unless the ma
jority exercises restraint that men
with great power ought to exercise.
could call to your atteDtion good
many instances in other couStries
where those in favor of a popular gov
ernment, and who, il may use the
expression. would pull the tail feath
ers out of the eagle in defining liberty
and apostrophizing everything We
think dear. and yet just as soon as
they become a majority, they think
that gives them the right to control
the minority absolutely. and if the mi
it, send them to Jail
What is the effect of that? Why,
the minority says, we take to the
woods And so they have system that
alternates between election and revo-
luton. Why is it that it works that
way2 Because the majority and the
minority do not govern themselves. do
not exercise that self-restraint without
which popular government is absolute
ly impossible. and that is the applica-
ton of the text that comes home to
iAlt anu uCciliAlS WIFI NOul-
tries struggling for popular govern
ment. The minority that is beaten
cannot stand defeat. They are not
good losers. and the majority are not
good winners.
Popular government is a most
difficult thing to- establish. We have
TO hammer ii out in a thousand years
suffering. controversy and contest
And now il rests where2 II rests in
the common sense and self-restraint
of the American people. 1t rests in the
knowledge of the majority that it has
got 10 keep within the checks of the
law and the constitution. if the gov
ernnent is to be preserved. And it
must rest in the view of the majority
that il is much more important that
the government should be sustained
than that the majority should have
for the time being control of the gov
ernment. The people must rule ac-
cording to law"
on the way to Fresno, Mr.. Taft
stopped at Merced. and attended the
Presbyterian church. His greeting at
Fresno came from probably the most
cosmopolitan community he has met in
all his travels. In the throng were
Chinese, Japanese, Armenians. Portu-
guese and a dozen other nationalities.
In fact, the president was told that in
one school twenty-six nationalities
were represented.
a feature of the presidents visit
was the presentation of an address of
good will from the japanese residents.
II read: Mr. President, we. the Jap
anese residents Of Fresno. and the sur
country. have the great hon
or to offer you our sincere and most
friendly greetings. and accord you the
most joyous welcome of the commun-
ity. We hail you as the honored chief
of a great nation which we are glad
to know is on the friendliest terms
with ours. We also rejoice that our
beloved country, Japan. has the honor
and great privilege of reciprocating
the fraternal regard
The president left at 6:20 and stop
ped at Bakersfield tonight for a few
minutes to make an address