Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-03

was founded or with the purposes by which we have
been guided. But well we may ask whether. within
itself it is prudent and right it would exat
our liberties or degrade them, whether it would
make US a stronger or a weaker people? Even if we
concede that Mr.. Roosevelts purpose is he avows
it to be- the vindicaton of human rights" and the
establishment of social justice" can beneve
that these ends are attainabe through such bu-
reaucratc and personal government he aovocates7
Can we make the States more responsive to popular
needs by stripping them Of their responsibilities and
binding them like petty provinces to Washington?
Can we make the individual citizen more alert to his
duties and more jealous OF his rights by teaching
him to think that the President and the federal
eminent win solve all his problems and send com
forts and happiness like the gentle rain from heaven
On the contrary this is the very fallacy that has
worm-hoIed the Republics of the past and eaten
away the strength and freedom of great nations
THE mischief begins" wrote John Stuart Mill
when instead Of calling forth the activity and power
of individuals and bodies, Government substitutes
its own activity for Theirs when instead of inform
ing, advising and upon occasion denouncing it
makes them work in letters bids them stand aside
and does their work instead of them The aoorth
Of state in the long Is the tOorth of the tndt-
UiduaIs composing it," The truth is Mr.. Roosevelts
theories in this regard not only contrary to our
Constitution (and that fact alone would not suffice
to condemn them) but they also contrary to the
warnings of the past and to the very spirit of demo
cratic institutions.
The South stands loyal to the rights of the State
because those rights are essential to free and efficient
government; and because they are especially SO in
such country as this. 1t has been truly said that
representative government would be impossible in
the United States If we attempted to direct, by
single plan and through single agency, the affairs
of over ninety million people composed of all races.
all religions and all grades of intelligence scattered
throughout different states territory of three
and half million square miles. Each state has its
own peculiar problems and. in order to solve them
Alright it must have the utmost possible freedom
There must be federal power to meet those issues
which affect all the country alike but without ade-
quate power in each State ITSELF there would remain
thousand issues that could never be settled.
The truth is those progressive policies that are
invgorating our national life today may be traced
to forward movements in the individual State The
people are demanding more from their State govern
ments and recognizing that true progress must be
growth from within their own commonwealth, not
an outward appliance from bureaucratic agencies at
Washington. This means democracy. This means
self-government 1t means an enduring republic.
This is one Of the great principles for which the
Democratic party, under the leadership of Woodrow
Wilson stands in the present campaign 1t is the
principle which Theodore Roosevelt the Third
Termer the defender of high tarif, the opportunlst
on the negro question, would trample underfoot We
are confronted with what has been well described
as "a conflict bettoeen q government Of delegated
potoers and a government of absolute poaoers, be-
ttoeen AngIoSaron lao and Roman Iaio, 6etsoeen
Democracy and Socialism" On such an issue, the
people of the South can take but stand: They
viii stand soldly with their party and with
Woodrow Wilson, who would bring us individual
rights by fulfilling the Constitution. not by destroy
ing it, who would seek freedom through return to
the ideals of the Republics earlier days and not
would Roosevelt, by faring wildly forth
40 unpdthed eaters and undreGn1ed shores"