Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-11
DECLARES AMERICANS MUST
GARRY DEMOCRACY FORWARD
Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler. of Columbia University,
Asserts Labor Parties Are Undemocratic in Speech
Before Illinois Bar Association. in Chicago.

CHICAGO. Dec. l0.-Thc diseases
ana growing pains Of democracy
must lie dealt with as such and tho
american pcoplc are called upon 70
'.an the way in carrying forward
democracy To a condition of pcrinan-
ent ana sturdy health. DR.. Nicohias
Murray Butler. president Of Column
hia University. New York. told the
members OF the Illinois Rar AS
ISOLATION here tonight.
This cannot be done" Or Butter
continued. unless the American
ic"ple are prepared TO rise above the
snailness. the sclhshncss that are
now 50 much in evidence To re-
turn TO au,ocracics or 10 conscious
s!hlc.
ignorance OF economic history ana
economic laws is PARTICIPANTS wide
spread. one wonders what the
schools and colleges have been doing
Tor the last half century ;hat men
ana women are left in such icnor-
ancc 81 tho fact and the laws SEN
a;crs aII Representatives In con
sress vote with fierce JOY To impose.
III iiinc or peace. vcrN nigh taxes on
wealth without appearing 10 realize
ny thuS diminishing the amount OF
productive capital they are dcprivinc
the farmer Of his market. the wage
WORKER OF his employment. the trans
H"rtai'on system q; its freight and
the businessman of his trade lynor.
hhce' the old enemy OF human we'll
being. is sill powerful ana active
Iherc are oiuiuous signs all
round about us. The American form
of government, is in iauscr when
ever group OF men -udcavor TO
operate it In the interest OF "a sec
ton or class
y n ,,.Ls'
is as undemocra,ic ANA as un-
American as n mIil!ona;rcs' party. or
shipowncrs' party would be. The
American farmer. the American
waEc-w worker. the American manu-
tacturer. the American business man.
is paying heavily today, five years
afterwards. for the un-AmcriCan and
unpatriotic act that was forced NY
threat uron the statute books OF the
United states. known as IN" Adam
son law. This law established a
privileged class among rs and there
10y increased the cost Of living for
every man. woman and child. in
cinainS members Of tire privileged
class itself
The use OF ;he power O: tho state
to enforce some particular rule ..
conduct which those 10 whom IL APP
peals describe as moral. may casily
differ only In form ana not In fact
from the long since abandoned use
Of the power OF the State 1" enforce.
conformity in religious belief AMI
worship.
Private morals and private con-
duct are matters for the conscience
of the individual and not for rrgula-
ton by some majority which. n;
best. can only To- temporary
We need quickly to strengthen
the foundations Of representative
government AMI thereby rcbuild pub
lie confidence I'm II. This can only
he done by attracting t. The poll
iical service @: the state men and
women OF the highest type Of i'm
tell!gence and character. who have
no personal or group ends 10 serve.
so completely has established
knowledge vanished that today
public speaker may not cite even the
Ntblc or SHAKESPEARE with any as
Surancc that his allusion Will be un-
dcrStood Ia say nothing Of the great
orItiore and dramas and poems and
historic events Of Greece and Rome
So long as this knowledge was gen.
c.al among persons called educated
Il served as a binding and unityiug
force. both INTELLECTUAL and moral!
Popular teachers are now LAYING
down as IA principle that there are