The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-01-15
significance for all honest people in our

' Every real government is based Of
j constitutional laws, the maintenance
and enforcement Of which is absolutel
necessary for the efficiency and perpe
tuity OF the government. For an,
province or part of the people of
sovereign State to nullify or virtual,
abrogate any law of the State, as is be
ing done now in our own State in, Mem
phis, Nashville and Chattanooga, is
most dangerous precedent that all citi
zens who value their rights and liber
ties must reprobate, and one which
must challenge the heroic protest Of
every citizen that does not desire to be
a slave to the baser element of the peo-
pie. Such notification is keen ak
laid to the very tap root of the State
government. And the fact that such
law defiance has existed so long only
proves the weakness and incoherency
of the States supreme power and the
incapability or indifference of the peo-
pie. True Christians" said Rous-
seau, are made to be slaves, and they
know it, and do not much mind it"
and | will confess with some shame
(though rejecting Rousseau's charge)
that 1t looks little that way in Ten
nessee just now. The trouble is, as the
variest fool ought to know, that. the
State lacks the proper authority over
municipal officials. to compel them, as
citizens of the State, acting for mu-
nicipality that is creature of the State,
to respect the laws of the State. In all
justice, the State ought to have such
power; and what can we say Of Legis-
lature that refuses to give it such au-
thority?
If our wisest and best citizenship
does not take our State government 10
hand and administer it to the best well
fare of all, we may be sure that the
ignorant and lawless will administer it
for their own base interest, and to the
oppression of our best people and the
decentralization of our best interest. Is
it not plain that unanimous waking
up and rallying to the support of our
lnyr md SFofa tho ri
of our honest and virtuous citizens
would go far in purifying our politics
and giving firm, efficient and whole
some administration of our public
affairs? And are we true and patriotic
citizens if we fail to do so? Would it
be any more unpatriotic and unheroic
in us to allow ourselves to be enslaved
by some foreign power than to sit quiz
escent till the base and selfish element
in our State shall dominate us?
What is the great secret of our fail
ure to enforce the laws and to repress
the vicious? Is it lack of probity and
wisdom? l do not think so. "A ruined
man, " says Carlyle, "staggers down to
ruin because there was not enough wis
dom in him. So clearly, also, may
twenty-seven million collective men,"
That is true, Mr.. Carlyle. But if even
a wise people can not use their wisdom
they had just as we'll be simpletons and
fools. There is enough wisdom, enough
intelligence, enough honor among the
people of our State, let us hope, to
dominate the ignorance and vice and to
steer our ship of State toward the polar
star of wise, clean and effective admin
istration of her government if we could
only use these great powers with free
dom and cogency. And why can we
not do so? Is it not this: that we are
so Indifferent and split by discussions
that our wisdom and the fruits thereof
are dissipated, allowing ignorance and
corruption to step in the breach and
triumph, at least in part, over our lack
of compelling power. Our great need,
then, is corporation among the best.
Was it Archimides that said, Give me
a lever and | will move the world"
Well peoples united wisdom is the
lever, their united character is the full
crum, aud their cooperative will is the
power by which they move and lift the
world forever upward.
Then the wise and liberal thing for
us to do now, 1t seems to me, is 10 lay h
aside all past differences and prejudices
and give Mr.. Rye, our Governor-elect,
and also our Representatives, our united
and hearty support and thereby assist
him and them to give us that firm,
gripping and progressive administra-
ion which we so badly need and which,
ct US hope, is in their hearts to give
rs until they prove derelict to their
high trust and unworthy of our respect
ind confidence. Every honest citizen
n the State ought to write to the Gov
L,