The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1917-08-25
saving of many needless and
questionable expenditures.

CuuCdtlOH. Inc very ground
work of our governmental fabric
is education, liberty and enlight-
eminent. Like Bartholdi's statue
of Liberty Enlightening the
World" the press of America
stands with its rays lighting all
the dark corners of the earth. =
In order that this light may shine
with undimmed radience a thor
ough acquaintance with and def
mite knowledge of our'institutions
is of prime Importance.
In these days of violent polIti-
cal views and irresponsible hold
ings of men with Socialistic ideas
it is a most fitting time to calmly
discuss from nonpartisan stand
point the wonderful stability of
our grand American institutions.
II propose therefore to discuss
some of the chief elements and
points of excellence of our gov
eminent and its institutions.
Trenching upon the liberty of
free discussion which we enjoy
in America, there is a tendency
toward Socialistic theories abroad
in the land. Some thoughtless
people are prone to imagine that
advantages are to be had in some
larger personal liberty and indi-
vidual freedom than is now en.,
joyed in this country. 1t is a
hurtfGl and vicious idea, and is
the direct result of lack of
knowledge and appreciation for
the freedom and liberty guaran-
teed alike to all American citi-
zens. Our liberties are fixed by
the rules and regulations that I'M
derlie our system of government.
The prosperity of our nation and
the liberty and happiness of its
people depends upon our loyal adj
herance to established legal forms
of constituted authority, and the
press should always emphasize
and insist on this.
Our government is the nearest
Socialistic the world ever saw. -
The principles of our government
have been well tried. They have
been tested by an experience of |
more than 140 years. and our peo-
pie feel secure in the assurance
that the people are sovereign.
Every citizen is an equal before
the law and enjoys equal liberty |
and protection.
The form and structure of our
institutions of government are
the admiration of the world. Mr..
Gladstone, that grand old man,
the foremost statesman Of Eu-
rope, pronounced our Constitu-
ton the most perfect system of
government ever devised by man.
Its form was devised by patriotic
men of gigantic intellect, who
had the history and experience
of 1000 years to draw from. It
was debated by such men as
Thos. Jefferson, Alexander Ham,
ilton, John Jay, the Adamses and
others, for thirteen long years
before it was finally accepted by
the thirteen original States.
By the way. the debates of
these worthless is printed in an
old book, The Federalist, al
volume that can be found in the
libraries of most of our best law
yers, and it is worth while to be
read by any editor in the land.
Passing by the ancient forms
of government, such as the Pa
triarchal, Theocratic, Agrarian,
Monarchical, Autccratic and the
Democratic, the trainers of our
constitution adopted the Repub-
lican or Representative form of
government. The Republican or
Representative form of govern
ment includes the chief element
of the Democratic, but it is very
different from it. The difference
between the two is this: The Re-
publican form does not allow the
exercise of authority by the 'peo-
pie at large, as a mass. 1t is a
government by representatives
who are elected or chosen by the
people. A pure Democracy is
where the people r9le directly. +
Pure Democracy is mob. This
form of government was once
used by Greece, once in some OF
the limited cantons of Switzer-
land, and also by Plymouth, one
of the early American colonies;
but the colonies were soon driven
by necessity to The more practi-
II