The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-10-08
their party labels.

their party labels.
Neither is it refreshing to find that as this nation
comes face to face with critically vital issues det
mental of its future destiny it must first consult
IFS nreconeeived notions and prejudices rather imam
Its earnest convictions.
In this hour the major questions Tying III ti!e
fca Of this country have to do not with trlValteS
and passing personalities, but with the maj ioui4
in which our government will set.
And that is vastly too vital to have cluttefeu up
with momentary party passions
Of +be importance of the questions which await
oorIv and unavoidable decisions the part Of the
roonIa of America no sound thinking citizen VIII
be in doubt.
Recent supreme court verdicts have made sucn
unacceptable. Others that to come may only
hasten the day of Judgment
And there is a sense in which we move back in
America from 1885 to 1887 in respect to the iden-
tity of these decisions
The founding fathers had no more acute series
of questions to answer than has this generation
than have the American people of the immediate
day.
The issue with them was that of the destiny of
new world 1t was in their hands. They had won
by the sacrifice of Plenteous blood.
remnant of peoples had wrought out for ther'-
selves the right to establish themselves in this new
land and to formulate for themselves philosophy
of government which would invest them as citizens
with RIGHTS thew had been denied under govern
ments from which they had fed
Manifestly. therefore, the decision back yonder
WAS one that had to do with the character and the
integrity of a new governmental government OF a
FREQ people, a government of democracy-that or
other form of either the European old or the
theoretical new.
Perhaps we have too little appreciation IN our
times Of the delicate balance at which democracy
nust have swung in that hour-hOw that the scales
might have been tipped by the suggestions of some
towering personality or giant, commanding intel
lect against the premise and principle OF democ-
racy.
And, in consequence, some other form of govern
ment selected IN its stead-perhaps one that would
only have transferred these first American citizens
from one form of political serfdom to another, the
only difference being geographical.
But the decision was made in favor Of a repub-
lican form of government, of a representative de-
mocracv, of government that would operate If
the interest of the people once the people them
selves, as a collective body of voting units, had
set it up with their own suffrage.
cision was made once and for all time for America
1t would be tragic to take for granted that de-
mocracy is impregnable and immmutable-that i
is here in America to stay, withstanding all com
petition and holding itself invncibe to all outside
rvalries in forms.
The decision which is just ahead now is one that
has to do with this very questionthat of the con-
tinuing order of our democratic society.
Whether we shall hold fast to present political |
and PHILOSOPHERS whether we shall run
off into foolish OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES issue is no
less vital than that.
And here are, fronted by such destiny-mak- !
ing choice, fttering away our energies, interests,
enthusiasts and our convictions before the
call that comes to us from mere partisanries and
party labels
It's one of the paramount follies of all time
Charlotte Observer.