The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1915-11-11


IntsIIi gence IS the condition precedent
to the franchise. An ignorant voter is
q covert threat 70 the republic
Democracy. which accords the fullest
recognition % the natural and indi-
yiduaI rights Of man. would eliminate
ignorance from the personal equation
Popular sovereignty distributes power,
authority. responsibility among the
people Thus their collective wisdom,
II Intelligence be dIffused among the
masses. makes for the safety Of the
republic
II Is q practical application Of one
Of the fundamentals Of democracy. the
sovereignty Of the citizen and il types
a full obeyed governmental scheme.
the conservation Of the rights Of the
majority and minority. II IS the man
against the mass. 4 wise and sane
individualism to hold in check what
otherwise might develop into a vicious
and tyranrnicaI cOIlectiyism. The con-
stiLution recognizes as Of equal impor-
lance, the rights of the nation and
Of the individual II means that the
same constitutional guarantees that are
invoked TO defend the honor and Sc
cure the safety Of the nation may be
invoked in behalf Of the humblest
citizen in the land
In the evolution of nation elections
have little significance. Aajorities and
minorities are mere surface Indications.
The real force that inspires and mold
the life, the soul. of the republic lie
deeper than this. II is based upon and
finds its source in the development of
charter in the citizen. The flotsam and
jetsam of politics in a negIible guam
tity Men and parties come and 90,
but great ideas go on forever. They are
immortal These great fundamental
truths have their secure abiding place
among the common people.
The people should rule, because
where there now is one law for the
rich and another for the poor. under the
reign of the common people there
would be one law for rich and poor
alike. Our courts would become courts
Of equity instead of merely courts of
law. Questions of vital moment to
the republic, questions over which CAL
low statesmen afflicted with political
strabsmus quarrel interminably would
cease to vex the nation under the reign
Of the common people. The reign of
the people means the cxaItation and
enthronement of the ego, the man. The
personal equation will be appraised at
its full value in government affairs.
Because the constitution, which in the
last analysis is the government, be-
longs to the people on the valid ground
of creation. ratification and adoption.
They breathed on its dry bones the
breath Of their primal authority, it be-
came instinct with power. That trinity
of benign forces, the press. the pulpit
and the public school, are the three
most powerful agencies in the republic
for the bringing about the reign of the
common people.
How will the common people reign?
They will reign in righteousness and
truth and justice. What will the reign
of the common people mean? First
democracy, which is only another name
for the rule of the people, will mean the
enthronement of the people and the in
volatility of the sacred rights and
privileges bestowed upon and guaran-
teed to them by God and the constitu-
ton. 1t will mean the triumph of right
over might, of freedom over force. It
will mean the maintenance by the com
mon people of the political equilibrium
Ut W cell the t6O u tIiatt-
ment Of legislation that will be just
to both classes. 1t will increase the
value of men which Ruskin declares is
the chief object of civilization. 1t will
mean the emancipation of the people
from those old false traditions and
ideals that for so long have held them
in bondage and prevented the fullest
development, socially, politically and
intellectually. 1t will give the lie to
that false system of social ethics that
determines mans social status by
his apparel, wealth or position, rather
than the sterling qualities of intelli-
gencet virtue and probity.
Under the new regime, partizanship
will be sub ordinated to patriotism,
principle, rank, pelf, preferment. We
will have government by the people
rather than by parties. Under the rule
of the people we Will have not only
forward looking men and women but
forward marching as well. Forward
looking taken alone, sounds well but
means little. forward looking" back
ward reaching are sometimes combined
in the same individual efficiency and
integrity rather than party loyalty will
be the test of fitness for public en-
ployment under the government, from
the humblest clerk in the department
to the highest official in the service
of the government either at home or
abroad.
The same measure of efficiency and
economy will be exacted in the con-
duct of governmental affairs that is
demanded and obtained in the transact
tions of private affairs. The welfare
of. the people will be the first consid--
Grafton rather than a partisan use OF
the governm entail machinery, to keep
the ruling party in power. All benign,
correlated forces of the great republic
will act in harmony with the eternal
immutable and indestructible forces of
righteousness and truth and justice, for
the accomplishment of Gods beneficient
purposes in the planting of this nation
in the western hemisphere The spe-
cious and dangerous doctrine of eXped-
iency will cease to be invoked by
shifting statesmen for the comprising
of doubtful ends. Compromise which
in the last analysis means surrender
of principle, will be discarded by states
men as unworthy of lofty civic ideals
No question Is ever settled until it is
settled right; as we learned by bitter
experience In the attempt to settle the
question of chattel slavery, without do
ing substantial justice to the black
man.
Under the rule of the people, the
senate and house will be quickly re-
sponsive to the impative mandate of
the sovereign people Direct legisa-
ton with direct election of our sena-
tors, with the primary method of Sc
Letting nominees, all grayitate toward a
truer democracy, a democracy in which,