Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-06-04
THE FUNCTION OF THE
STATE,

Joseph Il. Davies, u. $. Commissioner
of Corporations, delivered the bacca-
laureate address before the University
of Louisiana, Monday, June /. Mr..
Davies carried to the people of the
south an able and wholesome message
of scholarship and craftsmanship. He
applies in II very practical to
present day conditions the highest ideals
of self government.
Here are n few paragraphs from this
address which deal directly with the
functions Of the state:
The individual and his well being
has been one of the great motive forces
in the history of the social movement of
the world. Napoleon, the arch expon-
ent of individualism and s%elflshness, all
but changed the worlds history-then
failed dismally. The Carpenter of Gal
lice preached the salvation of the indi-
vidual through altruism, and died; but
He succeeded g~ioriously, and His be-
nign spirit and influence lives in untold
multitudes of good deeds, and in the
aspirations of men, to whom He MINIS
tered in life and whose salvation he se-
cured in death. Thus, whether mani
tested through seltishness or through
altruism, the force of the individual
has moved the world. Government,
indeed, came into being for the protec-
ton and development of the individual.
Institutions were created by men for
men-men were not created for things.
That liz the fundamental principle upon
which our perspective as to the social
values and purposes of life should be
grounded.
The force back of the birth of our
nation was the conviction of our fore
fathers that the great purpose OF gov
eminent was the wellbeing and happl-
ness of the largest number OF men going
to make up that government. 1t IL this
conception of society and government
in its relation to the individual that Is
responsible for the change in the attl-
tude of men as to what constitutes the
true function Of government in the
changing conditions of modern indus
trial life.
1t Is by reason of these things that
There has come II change in the con
ception of the function of the State IN
society. Long since the old Roman and
Greek idea that the individual exists
for the State, and that the State is the
master, has passed away. SO, too, the
idea that the State is merely II police
agency for the protection of life ana
property, and that no obligation rests
upon 1t to improve the physical interest
and the social we'll being of it's people,
has become greatly modified. New
conditions have created new demands
upon the State as an organization
created for men and for the benefit of
men, We now believe, rs President
Wilson puts it, that the idea of 1.-The
individual for the State has bee,. re-
versed to read The State for the in
dividual.' that the aim of h State
now lis to aid the individual to the
fullest and best possible realization
of his Individuality The best in
terests of the citizen. his physical and
social welfare. and his economic free
dom. have become matters of concern Il
government. 1t requires the combined
force of men through government t,
meet and cure the ills arising from the
combined seltishness of modern condi'
tions; and thus has our conception o
the obligation and duty of the STATE
grown and developed.
In the creation of this conception OF
the obligation of government, and. in
deed, in the fultillment of the function
itself, no agency has been more poten
than the State university.