The Hartford herald., 1912-03-06
SPIRIT Of THE
GOLDEN RULE"
Which Exemplifies a Pure
Democracy.
ERfiJ NsTlONs tRF FnNNOfO
GREAT NATIONS ARE FOUNDED
Upon the Conduct of Their
PeOple-Essence of Self
e. l Government.
rME PRICE OF SOCIAL ORDER


Sssbrew Theoracy, thundered from
rfas trembling crags and peaks o
sMmnt Sinai, was an absolutely per
lert system of civil government
That marvellous trek from Egyp
EhrOugh the interminable mazes o.
tax. wilderness up to Palestine, wa:
IL stupendous enterprise requiring
nApre than human skill, so Special
FySvi dence was interposed. He'
chE Hebrews abandoned the system
Why! Most certainly not because
CE any defect in the system, but
Jds9 as certainly because unbridled
human frailties rendered the Israel
F1ss unfit. Where, then, would you
haze sought a remedy? Would you
lave played upon the baser pas
s*sJns, like a demagogue, and rallied
0ut against the work of God? Or
q ppealed to the manhood of the
-ycs, Reading him to see that the
paramount issue of life was per-
uKal responsibility; that the dcsti-
ry of nation is wrapped up in the
r0pral character of its people?
a MIRO democracy is an ideal
Eurm of government, but its success
depends upon the universal applica-
tion of the spirit of the Golden
Rule. Hence, under our present
state of morals, this ideal is hope
Isssly beyond us and this vital fac
ToF, which must be taken into ac-
count in all wise measures of gov
esYnment, is just what the dreamer
.arr3 theorist, grabbing at stars and
s,rF.sping at the unattainable, blind
Ry ignore. With a strange persist
SaglEy, they refuse to weigh all those
SEl passions-the very thing that
rrnders any system so very difficult
over which the individual fails to
ilssume control, yet, being a men
aee 10 the tranquility of society,
ruus5 be restrained. They fail to
:spe That when this restraint is fore
81 aDOn the arm of law, made and
eLsorced by fallible man, that, in
t1e very nature of things, it will be
hDy indifferently done at best.
what good purpose could be
served by revising the Golden
Rule" when its failures are due to
sht man and not the rule? Better
revise the man. Why. then, can it
rot be seen that the question to
" hich we should address ourselves,
is moi what is the most perfect sys-
rem of government, since our in
erests DO not turn on that, but
what, in our present state of moral
and intellectual development, is
best suited to our condition, rather
han to trail off into 2 star-gazing
lamboree after untried, impractical
bic and revolutionary schemes that
may serve only to unbridle the dis
orderly
Since society is confronted by the !
spirit of disorder, revealing p lack |
" self-government, we must deter |
aine what system will restrain this
dement, best, and, at the same time, |
afford the widest scope to laudable |
>HoTt and greatest possible free
lUm to the individual. This was |
ne tremendous problem submitted |
% that matchless galaxy Of patriots |
and statesmen who founded a mar
'elous system of Representative |
Democracy which has brought un- |
old. irestimable blessings not only |
% posterity, but the whole world |
ss well. Among all the nations of !
he earth who have profited by the |
bloody experience of the past, we |
,eSm to be most advanced in self |
goal of man |
aOOh, the promise of free institu /
ions-yet, sometimes we almost !
lesPair, fearing we are not yet |
,qual TO share high duties demand !
ID of the private citizen by Rep !
aEilthAiNt iCtlHbNldNNs dilhOuSn IL /
* infinitely lower in the scale than
/ Pure Democracy; sometimes fear !
ng we have not fully demonstrated |
hat we can maintain it, and that |
We are still only in the experimental |
tage; that we may yet have to re-
uT TO a still lower grade where
reater force and centralized power
nust prevail 1t is up to the moral
Instincts of the unruly to Danish
hsse fears. A republic depends
pom the virtues of its citizens.
Force and the sacrifice of many
srsonal rights and liberties is the
rice of social peace and order. The
seessity for such sacrifice is due
,iely to mans inperfection and this
what chains us to conditions
Ither than theories. So it is not
question of what we have rights !
/, but what is within reach of our .