Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-08
MINORITIES
Rv' DR.. Frank Crane


There has been a deal of crude enthusl-
asm wasted over the wrongs done Minorlt1es.
There is no doubt that Minorities are often
tyrannical, ignorant and unjust. This is so
true that it has been expressed in the eX-
IRENE generality, which, of course, Is not
wholly true, but contains truth, that the
Minority is always right"
AS matter OF fact, neither the Majority
nor the Minority is always right. Both are
human.
And it is simply question of choice be-
tween two fallibles And if the evils OF an
autocratic Majority are bad, the evils OF
an autocratic Minority are worse.
There are all sorts of Minorties, there is
only one Majority, and one tyrant Is bet
ter than forty.
In every community there are many Minori-
ties Some are rich and powerful. Some are
poor and vociferous Some are highly Or
ganized, expert and shrewd. Some are mere
ly coagulations of that envy and crank1ness
that spring eternal in the human breast.
Some are proud and naughty, some are Wh1n-
ing Some are avowedly held together by
criminal motives, and others are so p1ous
that they have private wire to the Heavenly
Throne by means of which they always know
they are exactly right.
There are Railroad Minorities, Democratic
Minorities, Republican Minorities, Prohibi-
ton Minorities, AUTHORIZATION jMinorit1es
ana SOClallSC 0luSl0 1dA, OISOuuoYhI IAoAAA0os
Artistic Educational, Birth Control, High
Toned, Low Brow, Right, Left and Centr1st
Minorities-from the rule of any one OF
which, so long as it is Minority, good Lord
deliver us!
The very purpose Of democracy is to in
sure the reign IF the Majority.
The very core, essence and gist of the
United States idea is that the Majority shall
rule.
This Majority may be wrong, stupid, pas
sionate, eve1 absurd. 1t often is 1t is. now,
in some things. But even so, it is Infinitely
better than any Minority.
! Most people have the Superiority microbe
in form another. They think their
particular set, sect or party superior to the
common herd.
| Always, up to modern times, the herd
| thought so, too. They think so no more. The
| greatest discovery of these latter days Il
not steam nor electricity but democracy, the
| meaning of which is that the comomn hero
can manage their own affairs more satisfac
| torily than some little group of the elect
(self-elected) can manage things for them.
| If anybody cannot endure this the United
| States is no place for him. Let him go tc
Europe, where they are used to being bossed
| by monarchies, aristocracies and other priv
| LEGGED groups.
The whole trouble with Russia is that the
Bolshevists believe as little in the Majority
as the Czarists did. They know they are
| right, they know they can boss the people
much better than the people can boss them
selves.
| The Minority has rights and to suppress
them makes trouble.
But it's chief and inalienable right is not
| to Rule, it is to be Heard.
We need Minorities. Their protests are
helpful. They should have full liberty, but
by means Authority.
And a Minority should have one eterna
liberty which is freedom to agitate an6
propaganda, by all lawful means, in order
| to make of itself Majority.
| Copyright, 1921, by Frank Crane.)