Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-06-09

TK&NNE1 80 lege professors, but would hardly
4AkESkzAS have expected the remarkable views
ASs<Ssse.Ees expressed by ex-President Eliot oil
E5YEzxs- Harvard university in his commence
W|-<@2> ment address at the Missouri state uni
versy Dr. Eliot argued great length against the basic
principle in the American Declaration OF Independence as
expressed in the phrase "All men are created equal,
After carefully explaining that men not born equal
either socially physically in their opportunities 10 lite
the learned doctor gave this caustc observation
in other words the phrase, All men created equal
paobaby meant to Jefferson and the congress more
than meant to the social philosophers OF France to
BENJAMIN Flanllin and Thomas Paine and it is certain
that the American common people had theoretical
views about the equality OF all men at birth which pre-.
vented them from holding slaves. Men matter OF
fact are not born equal two have equal chance
in life by any pos sby because their and powers
Of meeting the exposures, risks and opportunities OF lite
are different Even under he most favorable clrcum-
stances therefore children not born equal in lite, but
un quail and different, and this original inequality is nla-
liby developed as life goes on because it is impossible
to provide the same environment the education tor
any two children A just social philosophy will not un-
dertake to fly in he face Of these facts OF nature.
The learned doctor asks remarkable question and
swe~s it in still more remarkable manner thus:
Are men equal as OF fact in any free state as
regards their occupation modes of e scale Of living and
freedom in that pursuit OF happiness, to which the ecla-
ration of Independence that all men have right!
Under free institutions there are farmers mechanics, clerks
quaraymen miners traders shopkeepers carriers money
lenders laws ers physicians, teachers and minister's Just
as there Speren euda society and there must continue
be under form ogoernmentsr social structure Wv
ized society csnno Be maintained the planet wthou
as division Of workers inevery generation among these
0ccuoatI.ls and tneoccufations are Sc
different in the capacities they call Tor and in the ELECTS
hey produce the workers that social INEQUALITIES in
varahy arise from hem under the simple principle that
birds of a feather flock together.
Il Ill 81 II DR.
Eliot does not comprehend what every intelligent Amer
lean fully understands that the statement in the Declara
ton Of Independence A men created equal, means
equality before the law. divine and human But it he SO
understands why these patudes about social ph, sca
and mental inequality? And why the astonishing
ton that the opportunities for the pursuit Of happiness
are substantially the any free state they were
in the feudal society 1t would seem incredible that
Dr. Eliot should have overlooked the tremendous signih
canoe Of the that all men created equal tc
the minds Of Jefferson and the congress to Benjamin
Franklin and Thomas Paine at tbs time it announced
to startled world. The doctor appears have over
looked the fact that this splendid truth enunciaed foi
the first time in the history OF the world fundamental
principle OF government, and that it uttered
emphatic negaon of the idea which had hitherto prevailed
that s Of caste, that created better than an
other in the eyes Of society, regards his rank rights
and opportunities He also appears forget that in the
feudal society," even as exists today all countries
where caste prevails opportunities to rise in tht
social scale or even in the field Of industry far iron
being the same those existing any free state Social
" speaking, can more raise himself 10 th
rank Of nobleman than he fly to the moon and
ndusraIly the general ironclad that the mus
follow the occupation of the father carpenters
be carpenter and so
Instead of this depressing New England pessmym,
Dr. Eliot appreciates the true meaning OF the foundation
stone Of the Declaration Of independence would have
been nearer the truth and much inspiring tht
1000 and more students at the Missouri university t
have expounded the optimism of this vrlc nation tha
America is the only land where all men created equa
in the sense that they created with equal opportunities
to enjoy life liberty and the pursuit Of happiness that
rail splitter or canal mule driver aspire 10 the pres
dency however limited his education, native ability o
station in life It does follow by any that th
child born with superior talents will outsrp less GifteC
one in the race Of e and yet this the premise Of New
Enqlands most distinguished educators argument Truly
the college professor strange creature and hull o
oddities