Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-27

igrcut in Commonwealth like ours
where we act not as individuals. but as
members of Il body polite. Every free
community, whether school or college
city or state. is governed by public
opinion. and this opinion Is the result
of discussion. If the members OF such
Il community make up their minds de-
Iliberately and carefully. this kind OF
government is the hest in the world
/ If they make up their minds hastily or
/ pnSsionatcly, it is the worst In the
would. For the ili-consiacrcd speech
! OF one member Of such u community
may rouse all his fellows to unjust
prejudice and Incorporate action. ono
man states Il hasty conclusion as il it
were II fact. y second man accepts il
as fact, and makes II the around FOR
passionate expressions of hate or re-
sentiment. still other men, vino have
not looked into the facts at all are
caught in this commoni flame of re-
sentiment ana hurried into prccipitatc
faction. which does harm to themselves
ana injustice to others. This is one OF
the greatest dangers which America,
has to face mt the present day: and tine
resistance to this danger is one of the
greatest public services which the men
! OF the country can render. II is easy
TO repeat things that other people are
saying and to fall in with public prciu-
diccs and miSjutiGment. II is hard to
look facts fairly i'm the face ana to de-
mand that other people should do the
same thing. But the man who can
accomplish this is the real leader. He
. may be unpopular for the moment, but
/ III the long run he is trusted II is
this readiness to sec facts and power
to make others see them that distin-
Suish the Statesman from the poli-
tician.
'Ye shall know the truth, and the
| truth shall make you free" This is
the only kind Of freedom really worth
! having. man may enjoy all the
| social and political liberty In the
! world. and yet he hclplcssly bound as
! a slave to prejudice or TO passion The
| glorious liberty of the Gospel belongs
| 10 him who has prepared himself to
! face facts as they are; who knows men.
! weighs evidence, and holds his high
/ purposes unclouded. And to him be-
! longs reward greater than wealth
| o, power: the increased assurance of
| his power to face whatever he may
| be called upon to meet. Because thou
/ hast kept the word OF My patience"
| saith the Lord, 81 also will keep thee
| from the hour of temptation"
FEW YEARS SEE GREAT
EXTENSION OF POWER
Gentlemen of the graduating class:
There has never been a time when our
/ country had more need OF this kind
/ OF freedom than il has to-day.
In the last few years VIZ have wit
D
/ OF the people Democracy is IL very
/ different thing now from what it was
| twenty years ago The public demands
| government action on great many
! matters which previous generations
/ left Individuals to settle for themselves
/ The motives for demanding government
] action are generally good: but the re-
suits are often bad. THE new demo
I cracy," said an English statesman who
| had himself done much in the direction
| of humane and intelligent protection
| OF the rights Of the weak. lis passion
! atcly benevolent and pnssionately fond
! of power" 1t is just this emotional
! attitude Of passion that creates the
! chief danger to American politics to-
! day. Men have II zeal for God but
/ not according to knowledge. They
( mistake prejudice for fact. and think
! that good intentions can take the place
/ of careful examination OF evidence.
No Eovernmcniwhich manages its
/ arairs on the basis Of prejudice rather
| than evidence can long endure. Many
! foreign critics regard our present ex-
/ pericncc as prcsaring the downfall
: OF democracy. believe that these
/ cities are wrong in their predictions
/ But in their analysis of the dang ers