Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-01-09
DEMOCRACY And EFFICIENCY
IS CONGRESSMAN KEy's THEM

Under the title Democracy AMI Eff
ficiency," Congressman William Kent
of California is writing notable
series Of articles for the San. Fran.
cisco Bulletin. In the opening article
he says, in part:
! Recent days of the world have
hrnught with them one thing--that Is
neW-the realizing sense, the ideal,
of democracy As far as anatomy Is
concerned, We of today dc not differ
much In brain capacity from q fossil
skull recently discovered, and which
/ is. believed by biologists to be con-
temporary with the Neanderthal Ne
groid type OF man, who before this
discovery was regarded as our am
tcestor. No one knows how far back
dates the human brain Inadequate for
progress We cannot show indiyidu-
ais or individual attainment higher
than the man who existed In ancient
Athens. We cannot show philosophy
Or art higher than we're produced 5000
years ago. We are forced to look to
society and social relationship, TO
human kindliness and charity, sug,
gested by Christian faith, for devel-
opnient from this time henceforwaTd.
II this democratic tendency promises
anything at all, it is that more people
may aspire with reasonable hope for
such conditions Of life as may permit
their fuller development. This is the
promise of our day, and is found in
the political cretsl to which our ma.
ton gives lip service at least. Bet.
ter conditions depend upon our sane
and timely answers to the intending
INTERPRETATIONS as to the relative i'm
portanee of the individual and of So
ciety-the position of the individual
in society. : =. i4,.,sz.sts ..ss... II -
The earlier evolution, of free gov
eminent came through the revolt OF a
select few against tyrants. This was
the story down through the days OF
Magma Charta, and through our Rev
olutionary war. It happened hat
the dominant classes of our people
in colonial times were selected men
who, being practically equal in edn-
cation and financial status, while
preaching the doctrines of human lib
erty, applied those doctrines to them
selves but not to their servants nor
to those whom they deemed their IN.
feriors, and denied it to Quakers and
Catholics.
Step by step since that time We
have been working toward the ideals
which they professed and expressed
in the great declaration and preamble.
but which they did not entirely real |
ize.
In the worlds history there have
been. found many forms of govern !
ment. and many variations In gen.
eral terms they may be classified as
tyranny, oligarchy and democracy.
Up to the present time the efficiency |
of these forms of government have
been in inverse ratio of the numbers |
doing the, governing; and it is the
present inefficiency. OF democracy |
that particularly appeals to the
friends of other systems. !
No one can doubt but that Iyran
ny may Oe an ideal form Of efficient !
government. if two postulates be j
granted: First, a successive line Of
really efficient tyTantS; second, a
guaranty that their efficiency be d. i
rected toward the common good. The
failure or either of these to eventuatc
has caused the rejection OF tyranny
hy all civilized nations.
To a lesser degree the same thing
is true OF the rule of all Oligarchv-
whether military or plutocratic. The
efficiency generated will be used in
the interest of the governing class,
just as under trusts al monopolies
the efficiency CT production is absorb
ed by the corporations. The man
that works On the sewer will receive
no consideration from an oligarchy or
tyranny, whether political or indus
trial.
1t does not particularly matter by
What. form of choice the rulers are
selected. A despetism may be heredi- |
tary or elective, as may an oligarchy.