The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-02-15
Duties and Obligations of Citizenship

tor IN the history of his times
Langton was scholar and
trained lawyer Of a remarkable Judi
ciary. He was student of social
conditions and leading actor in that
drama which has abundantly blessed
cIVAlzatiOn-ancient and modern
Reform has never been easy. It
has been the unceasing labors of
brave and courageous men. The
reformer's pathway is one of thorns.
He has been subjected to ridicuIe
and universally caricatured as
crank. Such weapons are the meth
DDS of warfare used by despots and
self-seeking demagogues who eter--
nally oppose uplift and reform
To the valor and courage of the
great common people we owe the
debt Of gratitude for establishing and
protecting this government. When
the nation has been threatened,
when the safety of our institutions
demanded protection, the first vol
unteers were the masses. When
ever the great ship Of state has been
stranded on rocky shore the first
gallant defenders were from the
ranks of the common people In the
time Of peace, as well as war, they
have rendered their country the best
service and upon them fall the duties
and responsibilities of free govern
ment.
The best method and easiest way
to have better conditions is to see
the right men in office. Whoever
announces as a candidate for an Office
of oh HYc4
that he advocates the right prin-
ciples and if such claim is hon
est and trustworthy. We should
also ascertain if the candidate is
properly qualified to serve in the Off
cial capacity he seeks. Public ser
vice demands honor, fidelity and
intelligence.
When such public officer is elected
and disobeys the mandates that the
electorate invoked, thereby betray-
ing his constituency, public condem-
nation should be aroused and efforts
of removal put forward. Here we
should operate the recall. 1t is
recognized that a vast majority of
public servants are untrue to their
country's best interest They serve
predatory wealth; such henchmen
betraying their own flesh and blood
for the interests Of the specially
favored few. Such rotten tempta-
ton gains control of the official and
adherence to duty is forgotten.
Those Offices of the highest impor-
lance are connected with the legisla-
tive, executive and judicial depart
ments Of government. The legisla-
tive enacts the laws; that depart
ment is the medium; that depart
ment is responsible for the evils;
and instead Of the interest of the
whole being considered and advo-
Gated the influence Of the rich COM
mands the legislation to such stage
that the specially favored interests
reap the benefits while the people are
plundered. The executive enforces
the laws. Upon that branch or
department of this system falls the
responsibility of enforcing that DEM
ocratic maxim of Equal rights to
all; special privilege to none" The
judiciary construes the laws. We
have witnessed the outrageous con-
struction of a statute, the decision
being rendered by the Supreme
Court of the United States, that
writes into the law word that Con-
gress refused to insert, such word
being demanded in the interest of
the unlawful combinations and for
their special protection. When
Judges are aDDointed and not elected