Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-02-07
Mr., White said, in part:
Democracy Not a cure.AIl.

Mr.. White said, in part:
Democracy Not a cure,AIl.
We have had so much talk in a
popular way about the new world de-
mocracy, until many people have. as
sumed that just to secure a democratic
form of government would be sufi-
Client for the ills of the world, a sort
political cure-all. Letslis look some
what closely into the Fundamental
principles of a just and lasting gov
eminent.
There are three general theories Of
government: First, government by
authority. Law becomes such by vir-
tue of a command issued by a man or
group OF men strong enough to en-
force the same. This we call autoc-
racy. The second theory is, as stated
i'll the constitution of the United
States, government by consent Of the
governed; that is, a social contract
The objection to this form of govern
ment is that the social agreement
within the group may be evil and per-
rnicious: gang of thieves could enact
laws, form a democracy based upon
this principle Of agreement. The third
theory is that of a government by con-
sent of the governed and based upon
the fundamental laws of God which
men can neither make nor amend.
This last form is clearly seen in the
ancient Hebrew commonwealth. The
mutual consent of a free people to the
laws of eternal righteousness is essen
tial to any just government today.
This compels two differences: first, the
only democracy that can be relied o
on today or tomorrow must be essen
TALLY Christian; second, the little red
school house and the teaching of the
Bible ought never to have been di-
voTeed.
The Source of Authority.
THE seat of law" says Richard
Hooker. the famous authority on ec-
clesiastieal law, 'sis in the bosom of
Cod That being true it is funda-
mentally necessary hat a nation must
understand. and obey the unchanging
principles of freedom and justice for
all alike. There must be authority,
and strongly centralized at that but
the authority OF the group must never
be allowed TO annihilate the personal
freedom and initiative Of the indivia
ual.
America has been the iasad Of great
experiments: notably, the republic
itself, the public school system, and
the free church. In literature we are
EetItn our infancy. Yet we stand full
grown today, speaking with a voice
ahatsis heard above the clamor of an
my .nakons engaged in a struggle Of
lie and death.
Gtnr ttFaiitions are but as yesterday
to nhe peoples Of the Orient and no
more recent than the events of last
year ID the nations Of Europe. How
can these things be? II is as though
the Son of Macy, Jesus the Messiah.
stood ansong the bearded Phartsees
and scholars in the holy temple OF
Jerusalem. quitting them to confusion
by His direct questions and ~illurninat-
ne replies. BzFrabas and Judas may
laeye been Of about the same age as
Jexaas, and ] ana not inclined TO sup
Jhatthey were greatly abnormal
subnorinal children, but they went
ONE WAY and Mays boy went AN
OTHER WAY. The early training
and home influences III the one case
were very probably missing il the
other. The ehallenge Of the hour Is
Is the church, the schools and the
ration, that ali three shall and must
chvistian. II the only pathway
D nnseifsh ana iuspiring leadership
enorsg the nations
Y.su are familiar with hreea
stases ia our political deyelopnlaent
NAKED 81 the events int clustered
abouf f77S Iss0 md 1a17 Ths Eepuab
IisNcame into rs national unityand
consciousnesssas through these three