Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-03-28
Miseellansuus Readins.
HARD TO UNDERSTAND
Why the Principle Of Equal Rights tc
All and Special Privileges to None
Has not Prevailed. .

Why the Principle of Equal Rights to
All and Special Privileges to None
Has not Prevailed.
There was time, way back In the
ages, when a king made all the law
there was, took the best that his SUBJ
jects produced, and generally exploited
the people for his own beEefit.
A little bit later group of subjects
got tired Of being exploited and decid-
ed to get some Of the law-making in
their own hands. They started a little
, revolution, grabbed few franchises
and magma chartas, and began to insist
that some of the law-making and rul-
ing of the realm be done in their in
terest
And after the mobiles and barons got
a finger In the law-making so that
their interests were protected, then
came along the merchants, who said,
we are doing all the work, paying all
the taxes, and we want chance to
participate in the law-making and rul-
ing of this country, and so they, too,
got certain privileges and were taken
care of. ..f.
Finally the farmers and laboring
men got a notion they were being ex-
plotted; certainly they were not being
considered or consulted in the law
making, so they started an agitation
OF their own and succeeded In being
recognized, and getting the franchise.
and having the opportunity to express
themselves as to the making OF laws
and general ruling Of the country.
And now the women realize that
they are the only class Of the popula-
tion that is being exploited, that has no
voice in the iaw-making or the ruling
of the country. So another little agi-
tation or revolution has started, and
we doubt not, will end as all the others
have ended, with the demands Of the
agitators being granted as to the
franchise and chance to express
themselves as to the law-making and
ruling Of the people.
But here Is the lesson, 1t seems, 1t is
impossible for US yet to learn.
Every class seems to think 1t knows
best what Is good for the other classes.
Every individual thinks he knows
what is best for the other fellow. OF
course, no man knows what Is best for
the other man, or at least what the
other man thinks Is best for him. This
Is something that each man must de-
eide for himself. He may decide wrong
so may you-but what popular and
democratic government guarantees
each man the right to decide for him
self rather than to give this privilege
to decide for him and to some other
man.
And yet, despite all the agitations
and revolutions and evolutions and
education that we have, we still find
this lesson unlearned in all commune
ties. We still have a so-called ruling
class, the best citizens. representative
citizens, or the politicians and the
bosses, in all communities who insist
on deciding for the other fellow what
Is best for him.
The idea Of democracy is to give
every man a chance to express his
own convictions as to what is best for
him. You cannot possibly know what
any man thinks Is best for him. He Is
the only man in the world who can
decide that question. And yet, the
tendency Of many Of our citizens Is to
still try and do the thinking and the
deciding for the other fellow, despite
the plain lessons Of history.
One of these days, maybe, we VIII
learn this lesson-give every fellow q
chance to think for himself and to ex-
press himself. He probably won't
make any more mistakes In translat-
ing his own needs, whatever they are,
than you will make in trying to do his
thinking and expressing for him.
In reality you are attempting an i'm
possible task when you try to put the
other fellows thoughts and needs into
law without first giving him chance
to express himself and tell you what
these thoughts and needs are, for, af-
ter all, no one knows these things so
we'll except himself-Athens, Ga,
Daily Herald.