Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-27
When Popular Government Was Born

universal humanity III us ever upward
course dividing the history of the worlds
civilization into definite cras, are not always
taken to the sounds of marching armies, or
to the accompaniment of crashing drums and
clashing cymbals Most OF them have come
unheralded, taking their respective places in
the natural sequence Of civil and political
evolution, and those now historic figures to
whom belonged the master minds and guild
ing hands, yet were ungifted with the talent
of prophecy. looked not far beyond the &C
tual conditions they faced and which 1t was
their continual struggle to ameliorate
or such was that little gathering on July
80, 1919, just 500 years ago. held on James
town Island, first adventurous settlement in
Virginia, that romantic, unknown land that
even then one Of the British poets rhapsodized
'earths only paradise To the few
hardy colonists who sat in that historic meet
ing, men from the scattering plantations on
the James, the York and the Pamunkey,
there could come no realization of the bur-
dens with which it was fraught, that they
were the pioneers In a work that would con-
tinue to the end Of time and one day trans
form the world. To them their problems
were extremely practical and acutely of the
present. They knew, Of course, that they
were forming the first representative govern
ment on the Western Continent; they knew
that they had achieved an almost incredible
degree of civil and political liberty, but the
future, with its republican form Of govern
ment, OF which the jamestown gathering the
first meeting OF the Virginia House of Bur
gesses, was the precursor, was closed to them.
TO us, looking back over the centuries and
viewing them in their historical perspective,
that organization OF the House Of Burgesses
is seen to be an inevitable link In the ever
lengthenlng and strengthening chain of HUI
man liberties. Just 400 years before. at
Runnymede, King John had granted to his
subjects. or, rather it had been forced from
him. the Magma Carta. That in large meas
ure was the foundation stone of modern
Anglo-Sa1on civil and political independence,
and 1t was the direct forerunner of modern
democracy and the republican form OF gov
eminent, which had their birth and were
Graded in Virginia. Processes of political
evolution are slow, but they never lead back
ward. Two years after the first House of
Burgesses met, the Virginia colonists had
their own Constitution and a representative
assembly chosen by the people and clothed
with full power in connection with the Cen
eral Assembly. And still just fifty years
later virginia, with a population grown to
10000, heard this from the lips of it's Gov
ernor, William Berkeley: II thank God there
are no free schools nor printing and l hope
we shall not have these hundred years, for
learning has brought disobedience and heresy
and sects into the world and printing has di-
vulged them, and lbels against the best gov
eminent. God keep us from both"
The periods between democracy's markers
grow shorter, and in 1875, Just 147 years
after Virginia had seen its republican form
OF government born. it was strong enough to
stand alone and declare its independence and
Po"erlul enough to back up Its declaration
by victorious force OF arms. Then indeed
was republican governmental for and nv
the people-really launched What its sue
cess or failure meant to the world was fore
seen by Washington who said in his first
inaugural address: The preservation of the
sacred fire Of liberty and the destiny of the
republican model OF government are Justly
CONSIDERED as deeply, perhaps. as finally
staked on the experiment intrusted to the
hands of the American people"
That trust was we'll placed Surviving the
shock OF fratricidal strife, another $50 wears
nring 1t TO the supreme clash with autocracy,
mat world war for which the seeds had been
sowing since that time when history Is
merged with the yagueness Of traditions
F" th continent of republics in the West and
republican ideals dominant in France Great
britain and other smaller countries, all trac-
ing their ancestry directly back TO James
town popular liberty still was an uncon
cludeo experiment. Then autocracv chaI-
ienged, and through dark years the result
was In doubt but the democracy born in V,r
ginia, on which the experiment was "fnallv
o'oAeu' ruhheu into the breach and on that
Gay democracy ceased TO be an experiment
anu became success proven by every test RI
peace and war In the succession OF stens
comes the Paris peace conference and there
democracy, spreading over the world in aver
widening circles since its inception in the
struggling little colony on the banks os rbo
James River Is the victorious dictator II
mas at last entered on it's full-groyn. nu,sa,
ing manhood. It's one creed Liberty enr.I
lty' fraternity. with constitutional rovorn-
heht' law, order, discipline, and subordtna
ton to legitimate authority goyernmon, ,nd
not anarchy"
Richmond will celebrate in fitting msnner
the three hundredth anniversary OF tho htr,b
Oh republican government In the Western
word IL may not be a popular celebration
IN the common acceptance OF that much
abused term but to the thoughtful /, Will
De day OF real Thanksgiving for in vary
TACT II If the birthday Of free America and
on mat day civilization in every country
should turn its eyes TO Virginia vim ,b.,L
iuine6s In It's heart and PRAYER on ira II,u
'lat democracy may ever be wise and s,rf,,r
patient and tolerant
Republican Senator'S had better hur,y 49,,
win 'heir speeches dcnunciatory OF I'M.
Hhantung clause Of the peace treaty. otbcy
WISE Japan may fulhll its promise 10 restore
m