The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-06-16
The Spirit of Democracy.

lne Sp1TlJ VI OCI1OO40SJ'
After a number of years thinking
over the matter the facts have slow
iy filtered into our system that OF all
the Presidents and Governors, Gro
yer Cleveland is about the only one
that ever really undertook to protect
the public treasury from the raids
of office holders and grafters. Even
the most intellectual of them all
probably-President Wilson-failed
to develop any great strength along
economic lines. And, after all, that
is the secret of statesmanship. The
man who protects the interests OF
the masses from the greed of the
classes and particularly from the
governing classes is the greatest and
the wisest of them all. The govern
ment that absorbs the substance OF
its people will finally eat its way in
to the body polite and then begins
decay.
Probably there are few who re-
member the reply made to President
Cleveland when he asked his Secre-
tary of Agriculture to strip that of
fee of all it's unnecessary help and
activities. 1t was not so strange at
the time, but at present it would be
altogether unique. Said the secre-
tary, Mr.. President, you might as
well abolish the department. There
isn't thing about it that is wholly
necessary, or words to that effect.
The Commercial wants to state
that the impression comes to us with
more convincing force every day that
both the Federal and State govern
ments are promoting too many actiV-
titles in the pursuit of life and happi-
ness that the private individual or
group of individuals can and are do
ing much better. The more impor-
tant of these things are the schools. |
The government cannot afford to neg |
lect the common schools. This branch |
of education has never figured much |
in politics. But the promotion of !
higher education becomes at once the
property of the politician and there
fore its usefulness ard economy are |
defective and doubtful. Then there
is the question of Capitalization when
the Federal government steps in. 1t
is the same with The public highway
system. The principle of democracy
is for the Federal government to
lay hands off. But the excuse for
Federal aid to public highways is
that the rural sections receive the
greatest advantage from improved
while higher public educa-
ton is robbing and starving the rural
schools.
In the first place neither the State
nor the Government makes public ed
ucation free. That is a popular fall
lacy. In Tennessee one can get thru
at Vanderbilt University about as
cheap as he can at any of the State
schools. And who can say that the
is not thorough? Then
what is the excuse for the annual ex-
pense of millions for State schools?
The fact is that the notable schools
IF the United States are not and new
or will be conducted by the govern
nent
Another thought. Let me have
he child in its tender years, says
he churchman, and I can tell you
what the man or woman will be. If,
lfter the boy or girl has emerged
rom the elementary school, col
eye education is wanted there is no
,ower under heaven that can stop
he one who is striving to get it. On
he other hand, the State is wasting
billions on those who care nothing
r very little for an education.
Therefore the mistake of State col
eyes.
Take the trades. The finest me-
hanics the world ever produced were
rained under the old indenture sys-
em originating in England. That
ystem has been superseded to some
xtent by machinery. In other re-
poets it has been discarded, and
18th the vocational schools to-day |
ne trades are woefully crippled with
and ineompetency. Take 9
ne farmer. Why should man who
as been drilled from his youth up c
i agriculture have to have novice l
landing over him every year? True
re can learn something from the a
louths of babes. But is the public
romotion system an economic enti- l
?? 2
Private initiative and personal in $
9ntive are not to be outstripped in )
lie battle of life, o