The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-30

in governmental
methods is to affirm that the
government is already perfect.
1t is to declare that political cor
ruption. the evil power of con-
centrated wealth, and the deep
complaints of millions of wealth
creators, exist only as phantoms
in the minds of visionary re-
formers, while to recognize the
facts of these wrongs is to prove
incompetence and neglect of
duty on the part of lawmakers
and people alike. 1t is either
this. or to adopt the pessimistic
belief now so rife in certain
quarters that the toiling masses
are so ignorant that to erect a
ond efficient system
Of government is beyond our
power because the stream can
not rise higher than its source.
We have name locomotives,
and binders, and per-
fected submarines, air ships and
wireless telegraphy, that work
perfectly up to their planning,
because great inventors have
thrown their powerful intellects
and abundant energies into the
task, impelled thereto by the
certainty of large pecuniary re-
ward. But. my friends, those
of US who have been in public
life know that reward there is a
hollow mockery, that true SER
vice is met with ingratitude, and
that no wage of golden millions
awaits the successful experiment
ter who might discover the most
beneficient principle in govern
mental mechanics. The steel
beam plow. reaper and telephone
made swift demonstration of
their substantial advantage to
the body polite, and each citi-
zen could specifically note his
snare therein, while the profit
from improved governmental
methods must ever remain vague
and unsubstantial to legislator
and voter alike, when consider
ed only from the material stand
point.
NEW MACHINERY NEEDED.
When the several colonies rat
flied the Constitution, and the
United States stood forth as a
nation. it was not unnatural that
the architects of this Republic
thought that they had perfected
a sublime hnality in government.
It was only the pardonable ego
tism characteristic of all trde
builders. This Constitution has
an enduring foundation because
of the grand principles of uni
versal equity upon which it is
based. These principles can uot
be improved upon, any more
than new qualities of virtue can
be added to abstract justice and
charity. But the same thing
has happened to US that so fre-
quently occurs with systems OF
religion, visible forms and sym
bols become identified in the
minds of men with the sacred,
invisible soul to which they are
but passing conveniences, which
should be changed as are the
priestly vestments when worn
out and rendered useless by the
rack and fray of time. That
gifted body of statesmen who
made our Revolutionary epoch
forever illustrious would prompt
ly have devised new methods to
meet those new needs which
have arisen out of the rapid
growth and scientific de velop-
ment which mark the present.
The fact is that the best brain
and talent in the United States
have not been in political life.
The strongest minds and intel
lects have been devoting them
selves to material developments,
science and literary work. I
think that, as whole, the pro-
fession of journalism has more
intellect, and more character, in
its ranks today, than we have in
all the politicians of the country
put together.
Many of the men-the so call
ed great captains of industry %
have not been after the acquis
ition of the mere dollar, but they