The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-07
THE STATE MUST LIVE

~A~~~
try, and what a heritage we have to
keep!
Our laborers, and producers, in COM
petition with the world, have had ev-
cry advantage which nature could
give, or which machinery and inven-
tive genius could supply. With these
aids our productive energy has been
able to carry a great charge; but the
spread of intelligence in the world,
and easier transport, brings it closer
together and has reduced our COM
petitive strength in its markets, as is
reflected by current events.
Our productive energy of the future
must be expected to support, proper
tionately, less burdens and fewer
parasites. Soon we must all go to
work; but remembering that abuses
will spring up under any system of
laws. We may adopt Magma Charta
along with laws from the Incas of
Peru; the despot Napoleon may be
our guide in one law and Lycurgus or
Draco in another, but evils will still
exist.
Poverty, avoidable and unavoidable,
and those forms of ignorance which
with energy might be easily avoided,
will ever be found. Misfortune and
trouble are the lot of all men; the
wisest and the strongest will not
escape them Even those ills that
thrift and intelligence might avoid
may only obe lessened by law; while
those which are invited by idleness,
waste or ignorance, are beyond the
power of any free government to
avert, if that government is to live;
for these evils, if thus encouraged,
will increase and put more tax on
energy, thrift and intelligence, who
may be expected only to earn their
own rewards, with something left over
for the state and for charity. Charity
is a personal emblem, or token, of
love for our fellows, and should lose
name with it's meaning when attempt
ed by the state.
Reasons of state, not sentiments of
charity, strongly urge provisions for
some classes of the weak and some
classes of the poor; but the point
may be soon reached where the inter
ests of the state are rapidly denoted
by extension of such policies, as is
proved by the history of the Poor
Laws, which after long trial, England
was obliged to repeal.
Experience also teaches us that
there is a certain, though varying,
minimum of abuse in trade and COM
merce which no laws may reduce, for
greed and selfishness are ineradicable
human traits, and when checked in
one line are soon to appear in another.
Such abuses are usually economic and
are reflected upon the citizen in mon
ey values, therefore, the public cost
to correct an abuse must be consid-
cred; for the chief load of such cost
must be carried by intelligent labor
and intelligent production, for they
must represent majority of their
classes, else the state totters. Can
they be expected to pay the greater
part of a cost of regulations to pre-
vent those abuses which their pru-
dence leads them to avoid, and which
regulations, therefore, carry the
greatest benefit to the less intelligent
of their classes and those whose
pleasures or vanities leave no time to
do what they ask the state to do.
About twenty-eight years ago the
writer was for some days a guest in
the governors mansion in Richmond,
Va; for Governor Mckinney and his
wife were old friends of ours. Every
morning while there the governors
wife and l, with baskets in hand,
walked to the public market, and there
from the wagons, or stalls, she made
careful selection of the meats, fruits
and vegetables for her table Practice
had made her a better Judge than
many government inspectors. Her