New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1910-05-04
On Government.


The form of government we now
have is possible for us. A better one
will be when we are improved. For all
artificial arrangements are concomit-
ance and outgrowths of man, in kind
and in degree as are his develope
ments or lack of them. People make
government, never government the
people.
Man like all else, is subject to con.
slant changes. With his physical
change and development goes mental
Transformation and progress. And SO
ideas and knowledge cannot possibly
remain the same. To deny this, would
be equivalent to saying that humans
and what they think are immune from
universal processes. Thus it comes
that we now see and have institutions
and methods which were unthought of
some time ago. Further changes as
to social arrangements are inevitable.
In fact they are going on all the time,
slowly but surely.
Convinced beyond doubt, as most
people are now that society could not
exist nor tranquil associations of
humans be possible without the "be-
nevolent" restraining influence of
some sort of sovereignty, it is more
than likely that time will be when we
will see that such is not the case. Yea
more. Future generations are sure to
learn that when they arrive at the
stage where each will no longer strive
to take advantage of his fellow, every
form of government is a him
drance to the free exercise of his
brotherly impulses. Yes, even to-day,
there are those who see clearly that
the monster that Expresses us is gov
ernment Nearly every one feels that
there is something wrong. All are
agreed that Improvement could be and
is desirable. The majority seem salts
fed to apply remedies" that cure
not. But only a few discern the cause
of our unrest and discomfort.
With body-politic as with human
body, ailments are symptoms of NAL
adaptation and adaptation comes from
REIMBURSEMENT, Adjustment and adap.
tation to Environment. Not to institu-
tions and other artificial methods, but
to the real environments, those over
which the human critter has no control
whatever. Instead of doing this, man
! continues to founder about, inventing
| and applying makeshifts intended to
take the place of what cannot be sup
planted. Always some form of re
striction and compulsion. And the
belief IN the necessity of such futile
methods are destined long yet to pre-
vail.
Were it generally apparent that oul
reliance upon the supposed efficacy
and salutary nature of compulsory
methods is most absurd, they would
not exist an hour. But so persisten
are ideas once set in motion, that mul
| hilarious repetitions of better ones ar,
necessary before they will be adopted
This is being done all the time. Pro
gress and betterment may seem slow
but it is being made just as rapidly a
can be-.
Fl Interesting it is to notice the var
ious methods proposed for maxim,
man be good. Nearly every one Q
!, these is based on the erroneous belle
!, that it can be done by correction.
E movement now popular proposes tina
s when we OWN things collectively an
! have MORE government, all will b
: we'll. Being departure from mode
now in vogue, this promise is readil
j accepted by many. And the Pre-
Founders Of this better form {
: government are quite sincere an
honest. They simply cannot get ava
!. from the obsession that ownership an
Y compulsion must be.
: Man chafes at and resents every forl
of restriction. And when in tina