Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1917-12-15
CHAPTER w
The Family Form of Government


and formation of governments, and the
initiation of the nobility classes, far back
in the remote past in the early ages Of man,
much of which is now unknown though oc-
casional gimpses have been given to us,
by, and through, various means, indicating
that there existed then an entirely different
condition and state Of affairs.
There seems to have been two stages in
the increase Of the human race and it's
movements into concentrated masses, be-
fore it's final development, for the purpose
of self protection, into simple but crude
forms of government. These two stages
were represented by the family, and the
tribal mode Of government
The family mode, being the first and
earliest in point of time. The family mode
is here recognized as a form of government
for the reason that the family acknowledged
a governing head. That is to say, the hus-
band and father Of the older family of the
descending group in the direct line, was
the head and dispenser Of authority: and
each Of the others, the younger male mem
bers, their wives and children, were sub
servient to his will, direction and command,
during his lifetime: and they were bound
by natural ties to strict obedience and re-
spect. His rule was absolute kindly or
arbitrarily and stubbornly executed, accord
ing to the immediate circumstances, and the
temperament Of the individual governing
head. And, at his death, the oldest male
heir succeeded by right Of birth to the same
place, and thus in turn became the family
head The female members, when married,
left their own families and became members
Of their husbands families
The prevailing principle of land tenure
and property rights in this remote past,
governing in the family mode Of govern
ment, was that Of possession. And the
head of the family took possession Of any
required property in sight that was not al
ready held by some other person, or some
other family. This possession was held. ac-
cording to the disposition Of the ruling
head. for the use and benefit of the entire
family. Each member of the family per-
formed his allotted tasks and duties, and
we may believe that none were exempt.
Although the land and it's appurtenances
were held by the right of possession, this
holding was not always a peaceable one
1t was more often struggle than other
wise to maintain themselves in, and hold.
their possessions. They were oftentimes
forced to engage, without warning, some
enemy in an unequal strife in it's defense
Though they were sometimes successful
they were at other times ousted by
stronger and more powerful adversary. and
compelled to abandon their possessions for
some other and, perhaps, safer location.
The family must always be prepared to
meet such emergencies. Guns and cannon
and pistols, so common in modern warfare
were entirely unknown to them They
fought with the rude implements of their
own devices and make, with clubs and
sandstones, and with any other convent
ent and handy thing Of which effectual use
could be made. 1t was physical force
against physical force, and the greater ply
steal force would, generally, overcome and
master the lesser Life and limbs were not
considered and seldom ever spared It fire.
quently was battle to the death. 1t was
to conquer or to be conquered; to drive out
or to be driven OUT to lose or to hold the
possessions. These turmois and conflicts
were many times carried on for months, and
sometimes for years. or until one, or the
other, Of the contending parties, was anihi-
lated