San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-04
Colonel Murphy Stresses I'm
portance Of Individual
Responsibility.
CITIZEN IS DEFINED
Right of Suffrage Strictly
Municipal in Character,
Speaker Says.

of state, and that public sentiment Is
a mood variable often as the dictates
of fashion and is not TO be relied upon
as foundation for form OF govern
ment, was the opinion expressed by Col.
Pierce A. Murphy in an address to the
City Federation of Womens Clubs,
Friday. He used as his subject, "Citl-
zenship Day" and made his address be-
fore a large crowd OF women at the
Women's Club building on Camden
street.
Not only ignorant citizens are dan
gerous TO community and are liable
10 form a menace be declared but those
with a meager knowledge are also dan
gerouS class and are a menace to exist
ing institutions. He said:
The responsibility of. the individual
citizen cannot be too strongly impressed
upon his own consciousness. The oppor-
tunity to know is certainly not lacking
for the so-called educated citizen. There
are many public men in different walks
of life who are sanely and disinterest-
edly seeking the public welfare and have
not hesitated to forcibly express sound
doctrines of citizenship.
Writers on international law define
citizen as an individual member OF
the body polite owing to its allegiance
and support and entitled in return to its
protection in person and property. 1t is
not, however, an essential condition Of
citizenship that an individual citizen
should have any share in the govern
ment of a state. The right of suffrage
for example is strictly municipal IN
L.,
Duties Of Citizen.
"Ths form OF government existing
in n state determines the character Of
duties of citizens to a great extent and
in turn the detailed privileges which
they may expect. This government mag
take the form of monarchy with the
sovereign powers residing in single
individual or in democracy win the
sovereign powers exercised by tic pcO-
pie directly. However, it would be
difficult for any state of modern times
to practice the latter form of govern
ment. There is no more perniciOus doc
trine than that it rests with an indivi-
dual citizen or body of citizens to usUrp
any of the functions Of the government
ana the practice of such doctrine be-
comes more blameworthy when done
under the pretense of correct procedure
because it cloaks its crime with the
mantle of hypocrisy. The end to which
all such attempts lead is the overthrow
of government, and no more insidious
tenets can be preached than that unlaw-
full practices can be conducted, because
they aim at a praiseworthy objective.
Such practice is planting the seeds of
n revolution or the disruption of exist
ing government. A government which
cannot compel obedience is, in fact. i'm
potent and cannot for long survive. But
il it possesses the strength to enforce
it's DEGREES and does so unhesitatingly.
no matter how tyrannical it may be, it
at least enjoys mower and respect. As
an individual in a position of authority
is sensible that it is q part Of wisdom
to conserve his authority and not to
lessen it by issuing many orders and
instructions, so it is a wise government
that refrains from fulsome and extra
VACANT legislation and understands that
il is not by multiplication of laws but
nv enforcement of same that it is going
TO maintain power and command re-
spect
Built Upon PRINCIPLES.
"a repubIic is n government in which
tho sovereign mower rests in the peOple
but is exercised by representatives elect
cd nv them for that purpose. Profit
inc nv tbe evils Indicated nv our own
carly Government under the articles of
confederation il was moulded by those
octuotad nv sincerity and unselfishness
of nurnose nv those whose experience
education and charocter strengthened
NV adversitv admirably fitted them ia
form a constitution which has nroyed a
moJeI Cor tho world As cardinal prin.
cirIoo of tbot constitution unon which
our yoyernmpnt rests II has recognized
ond ottemntod N nprnctuote three in
nnnnhar a strong federal government
axamntion from Interference in purely
stoto offoirs os distingnished from fed
oraI concorns onJ indiy;duoI liberty
~ :. Los o;tornnted yrbon framed IA
On d ~ NJ ,ronorIr ,roy;Jo tbe hosi,
I ioe Gnos L 1921 oiao tbo mocbinerv 70,
,';tnI;mir, tbOr, IL" Eromod in wisdom and
h,'iiJ iae 81 ,r;roinIas IL assiduonsIy
oa;Jo5 snooI,,i . of ovo noScent wbiT
q. toncv mi sought 70 nravent exnress
~ -. IL" -, "" 80 80 la nf nassioy
siVi n s 80. - y, &c.
VI .F El,S VI 81 O tbo onnstifrtion rrder
-, " .Lot VI - 80 IO,r met no hull,
49, , ,r%o and NOT mon senti