The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-07-20


duced to john; mix them all up to
gether, with the result, vox populi,
vox Del. It was in some such flash
of inspired wisdom that the learned
Senator, in the course of speech de.
livered in this chamber a few weeks
ago, presenting to us his now well.
known and Justly celebrated "compos-
lite citizen" said:
THE people can be trusted. The
composite citizen knows more and
acts from higher motives than any
single individual, however great, ex.
perienced, or well developed. While
| selfishness Is usually dominant In the
individual, it is mlnlmized In the com.
posite citizen"
With growing confidence in this child
of his creative genius, he next de.
clares-evidently as the result OF ma
ture reflection, because the declara-
ton constitutes one of the capital.
lied headings with which in his edi-
torial capacity he has thoughtfully
adorned his speech--that the
Composite Citizen is 'unseifish."
The senator Immediately proceeds
under the caption to tell us how the
gratifying transformation from distri-
butive selfishness to collective altru.
ism is brought about by process as
interesting as 1t is ingenious. l quote
again:
The composite citizen is made up
of millions of individuals, each dom
mated in most cases by selfish inter
est. But because of the difference in
the personal equations of the indivi.
dual units making up the composite
| citizen there is a corresponding differ.
ence in the interests dominating said
units
Mr.. President, let me pause long
| enough here to say that this is not
quotation from Herbert Spencer,
though quite as lucid and convincing
as anything that learned philosopher
ever wrote But listen further:
And while composite action is
taking place, friction is developed,
attrition results, selfishness is WORN
away, and general welfare is substi-
tuted before action is accomplished.
| am unable to accept the frivolous
suggestion advanced by some that
this beautiful conception has been
evolved from an overworked and hys.
terical inner consciousness; that fric-
ton and attrition can scarcely be ex-
pected TO exercise an intelligent
choice and that what little general
welfare there is in the combination
to begin with is quite as likely to be
worn away as selfishness Solomon
has told us that fool may be brayed
in a mortar with pestle and his
foolshness will not depart from him,
but 1t evidently never occurted to
that wisest of men that the result
might have been far different If he
had submitted a large number of
fools to the process at that critical
period while composite action was
taking place. BY a parity of reason
ing selfish citizen may be brayed
in mortar with pestle and his sell
fishness will not depart from him. but
with a million selfish |
citizens. This aggregate selfishness
way be entirely eradicated we are
told, and general welfare-altruistic |
and delightful-wholly substituted by |
the simple application of friction and
attrition while composite action is |
taking place. There are those who |
might become impatient IL the pro
cess Of regeneration should not be.
come complete until the elimination
)f composite action. and so the learn
I'd senator assures us that general
Welfare is substituted before action is
Mr.. President, this is comforting as
ar as IL goes. but | cOuId Wish-not |