Lower coast gazette., 1914-09-12
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER IL 1914.
Genuine Democracy.

tfcl or government of the people by the people
and for the people, or genuine democracy, and
the control Of the people by an autocracy, con-
tinues to be a matter of general debate even
among educated peoples. The failure OF auto
cracy has been demonstrated time and again In
ages past, with the development of the Roman
Empire and its subsequent collapse, with the In
vasion of Europe by hordes Of Asiatics and con-
spicuously those under Ghenis Khan and Tam
erlane and now today, under the autocratlc gov
ernments prevailing in Europe, all Europe is en-
gagged in the greatest war known in history.
This eruption of all of the military forces of
Europe into collision with each other somewhat
resembles a malignant fever, and yet behind it
all can be seen the hand and brain of one man
and he the Emperor Of Germany, who is per-
scrslly endeavoring to make his nation the chief
power in Europe and is subordinating every con-
trollab!e influence that he can exercise to OBJ
tain this one end.
On the other hand, we find that in our own
country that with a hundred millions Of people
under a democratic government in which the
people direct their own affairs in some forty six
different states of the federal union, each legis-
lating for itself, the general government exer-
eising only such powers as were originally de-
egsted to it, or subsequently acquired by it by
the consent of the states themselves, we in this
way with our hundred millions Of people secure
government satisfactory to the people Of the
various states with their varying tastes and
needs. The power that we grant to one man
who stands in control of all the people is simply
the power Of veto, coupled with that of the sug-
gestion and recommendation of legislation for
the good Of the people, but with no power to
enforce it.
There may be weak points in our democratic
ideas Of government, but they certainly seem
to rise superior to criticism at the present time,
and the will Of the majority Of the people as is
done and as should be done in democratic gov
eminent, seems today to be the only means of
preventing just such outbursts Of war as we are
beholding in Europe.
The civil war may be cited as an instance in
which our democratic methods Of government
failed and 8 great war followed. Careful writ
ers will admit this but claim that it is BAKED
upon our double civilization, with slavery in the
South and slavery once existent in the North,
hut already abolished there. The North, dis
ccntented with a civilization based upon slavery
became too impatient to wait for the working
Of The sa1ne methods that abolished slavery in
their own midst. and forced the issues so rapid
y tl,at war resulted. Statesmen today believe
that the American system is tho best expres-
sion Of governmental control known on the face
Of the earth. It becomes the best because IFS
the expression Of the will of the majority OF the
people and The ultimate strength ofany people
ordinarily lies in the majority of the individuals.
That there may be some err3r in these latter
points is visible and is thoroughly well recog-
niaed in the United States, where we consider it
imperative that the people should rise by gen.
eral education to . lfasel far above the ordinary
pcasantry Of Europe. Our common school edu-
cation is the foundation Of our culture and we all
generally believe that it should be developed
actively, IN order to maintain our government
from such invasions Of passions as are now de-
sttoying tie people Of Europe.
All this excellence of our government is
based upon our willingness to abide by the
views CT the majority. After the great civil
war in 1885,, when it was found. that q demo-
cratic president, Grover Cleveland, had been
elected by a majority Of some 100 votes out Of
many millions, it seemed that the majority was
50 small as hardly to deserve the power Of over
throwing the previously existing war govern
nent control. The result, however, was &C.
cepted by the American people and the final re-
suits were very satisfactory.
On the other hand we find in our neighbor-
ing republic Of Mexico a general unwillingness
to accspt the dictum Of any majority, each po-
litical leader having q degree Of popularity that
makes him head Of his community, feels
that power 50 strongly as to be unwilling to
yield the control Of the government Of all the
states 81 Mexico to a majority Of the voters.
The Mexicans are an Indian Latin race and are
presumed to BE- scarcely educated up to the
democratic idea Of yielding to maiorities. On
the other hand, we notice France, with It's
Latin race, has maintained It's democratic form
al. government with geographical representative
--4-l -l-ns~&.sona g w,oll 4on hol< : nnm