The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-02-24


racy. I mean something different from my
friends democracy" Continuing. he said. in
| part: ITO one who was born and brought up
on the sea in the days Of sailing ships. the
problem Of democracy is an interesting one.
At an early age l was confronted by several
striking problems. l saw ideals of democracy
held by the very person who welded author
ity. man who worked himself up from an
inferior position was man of superiority.
l was shown the vital Importance of freedom
and initiative at the source of authority
These two ideas of service and freedom stood
every day before my eyes, and the right man
seemed somehow to rise. What caused these
racy to be themselves SO undemocratc in the
practices of life, to become themselves lords
and masters? They were quick to recog-
nize worth, to help along men of the right
spirit, but they were equally quick to
punish men of the wrong spirit. and the
final decision. the final judgment, in these
matters. invariably rested in their own hands
They would decide. Was this democratic,
or was it because they thought SO little
of their interiors, or because they demanded
SO much of them? When 1 came ashore this
general contradiction was often more forcibly
brought to my attention. saw commun ity
that called itself democratic living under a
which was indeed autocratic. saw it mbued
with virile spirit, making the most of its
young men, forcing them into achievement,
into education, forcing them to control and de-
velop themselves, They were material re-
wards. but think that after all the chief spur
came from spiritual elements such as honor.
prestige, the part of man standing on his
achievements, the knowledge that men looked
up to him. These are the things that bring
out mans best; and, rather strikingly,I saw
real brotherhood in this community. l saw,
finally, discipline grow lax, the standard low
er. saw ideals of democracy applied with
wider and wider scope; applied to phase after
phase of life that had heretofore been held to
a scheme of autocracy. saw superiority de-
MED and defeated, the open revolt of an in
ferior majority. l saw the sinister shape of
materialism. 1t was hard work to strive for
character, harder still to attain it, but many
here saw something that anybody could get
Here was something that interiors could get
quicker and in larger measure than superiors.
1t is only very lately after the pressure of ideas
produced by this war, that have seen a light
on this subject. am beginning to wonder if
our forefathers were not wiser than they knew
when they lived democracy and fought for
~ Of Fl o
not wise when they exercised authority and
advocated freedom. For all practical purposes
they realized that there were definite limits to
the principle of democracy, that mans char
scter and his intelligence were fact, and could
not be put to vote. This is showing US
our true relations and purposes, clearing up
our minds. We all see light now. The task
of man has been to find proper blending of
autocracy and democracy l believe that Just
as Germany has leaned too far towards the
spirit of autocracy, we have leaned too far to-
wards dem ocracy. When we accept such ideas
as the referendum and the recall, then think
we have carried democracy too far. The
voter must oe fairly we'll educated, well in
formed He must bother to think with his
head. The best ability of the country should
be called out for public service. We now have
the benefit Of over one hundred years ex-
perience in these matters. We now know
that aristocracy is not the bugaboo that it was
to our forefathers. The aristocracy of the
individual, of pride, aspiration, character, an
aristocracy not inherited from the past but
won from life itself by the individual. this,
the ideal aristocracy. is nothing but true
democracy. Towards this all true democracy
must trend Then the true democracy waits
upon the time when all men shall become aris-
tocrats. 1t involves q tremendous lifting pro-
cess all along the line. 1t means the frank &C.
acknowledgement of superiority over inferiority.
It means the right solution of this contradic-
ton of life, the right blending of flesh and
spirit for only the true aristocrat is capable OF
true democracy. It is not the meekness of the
weak. but the meekness of the strong that
leads on to inherit the earth. 1t is not the
humility of the inferior soul, but the humility
of the superior soul, it is not the lowliness OF
the low, but the lowllness of the high. True
democracy would lift all men through all that
| life contains and make them adequate. II
} says to US, be meek and humble and lowly, but
first of all you must be superior. The reason
why there is more democracy in England to-
day. is not because her aristocracy have gone
down to the common people and discovered
their true worth for the first time. and learned
the measure of democracy thereby; it is be
cause the people and the aristocracy togethe
have come up to the plane of true democracy
Nothing is finally gained by the least sacrifice
of an ideal"
After Mr.. Colcord had finished general dis
cussion was started by DR.. Gould of Lincoln
vile, who was a guest, and who spoke inter
estingly. followed by others of the club mem
bers. rising vote Of thanks was extende
to Mr.. Colcord. the speaker of the evening
and the Club unanimously voted to make tn
next meeting Ladies' Night in Memorial Hal
at some date in March to be announced. q
which time it is hoped to have Payson Smitl
State Superintendent Of Public Schools. - th
speaker. At the close of the meeting Mr.
Shute. assisted by Mrs. E. A. Wilson, Mrs. Bar
croft q. Conant, Mrs. E. P. Brown. Msse
= Maude E. Barker, Mildred N. Slater and Su
; M. Partridge served assorted Sandwiches
doughnuts, oh. ese. coffee and confectionery.