Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1921-06-24

A9U"'' III. bryan was Tor
% years president of the State Col
lege and now is commissioner of edu-
cation for the state of Idaho.
Democracy, as a form of govern
ment, has no virtue in itself We
have been assuming as an axiom
that its virtues are inherent and uni
versal, that it is a great and indis-
putable good in itself 1t is a good
only when it best promotes the gem
p eral welfare of the people whom it
serves. Other forms of government
in other times and at other places
and among other people might be
better. The patriarchal system may
have been justifiable-eyen neces-
sary, in the days of Abraham and
Job. Peter the Great and Elizabeth
the Great may have provided for the
common defense and promoted the
general welfare of their people when
democracy would have failed utterly
to do so. The reign of Diaz in the
pretended republic of Mexico was
4 DOUBTLESS more beneficent than
real democracy would have been.
What Democracy Is
Democracy is goal for mankind
~ some a distant goal, Today it is
our task to make democracy safe for
the world rather than to make the
world safe for democracy. For we
are now the great sponsors for the
system. There are those who say
that England is more of democracy
than America. This I deny. Meth
er in form nor spirit nor legal guar
antees is England abreast of Amer
lea as a democracy. Fortunately,
our original settlement was from a
single old world class The nobility
would not leave their special priyi-
leges and prestige to endure the
hardships of the creation of new
world. The prOletariat had neither
the initiative nor the courage to
leave the social system on which they
battened to face the priyatiOns and
dangers of the American wilderness.
I'VE, the great commonalty, hay-
ing created a great republic. wish to
preserve it in its purity and in its
true meaning and intent. But it has
foes to meet; foes within and with
out. abstract and concrete, personal
and impersonal We believe in the
great American republic. Whatever
Anay be it's imperfections, 1t is the
hest instrument thus far devised Tor
such a people as we are,--lntelli-
gent. devoted to education, believers
Din Justice to all men, loyal to gov
ernment of the people, for the peo-
pie and by the people. We Will 1lshI
its foes. We will preserve its lnte8-
ritv. To this program, as ana our
forafathers we will pledge our
lives. our fortunes, and our sacreu
honors
"Our democracy has foes to-day
active hitter. implacable, ruthless
+reocberous foes. Foes ready 10 sIap
orr constitution and thirstlng 10
sni1 the life blood of its delehue'S .
There are conscious, delerIi'iie''
nremeditating foes, ready to 40 any
dead from sabotage to murder Anu
+horo are foes who are not conscious
" such hut who, infinitely selfish,
greadv and spiteful rely on le7"l
taotnioo1ities for protection III their
irta,ttios And there are foes upon
u,hoso living lips are professions u
LOYALTY and love for the conS'i'uyl9 i.,
10y S "'s r,,hscribe for liberty bonds with
aao bond and fitch from the peop.e .
treasnrv with the other; who expo,
the moor in their youth ana lou"u "a q
thooIogical seminary in their oIu
aao. Who lie in wait to eaten ,ne
age , ~ While they parade their be-
un~Ii There are those VINO
seize the livery OF heaven - ~
the devil in. o,, Of four of
"Today wish to speak o. '0' And
the foes of our democra'y
first of all, the Reds