Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / Jan. 13, 1907, edition 1 / Page 14
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CUARLOTTJ; DAJFjY Oil.'fllUVEIJ, JAKUAKY V,, 1C07. Dur Social Problems THE STATE AND SOCIETY GOOD GOVEHXMENT" LECTURE 4,. UY RABBI BAMtUv UIRSflBERG. Ever Bines the earliest beginning of (human society, the commencement of joint associated life among men, It hai been found both necessary ana expedient to have some form of gov ornroent, some method of administra tion of their common affairs and ln - terests. At first this form of govern . ment was an exceedingly simple af- v fair Tha Mrllmtt sxonnlnir of Der- sons' was into the family, and Its head was accordingly the natural centre of authority. From this arose the Patrl archlal form of government which prevailed among the nomad clan" of the Orient, and from this, by a prooess too devious and complicated here to be traced, there developed the various forms of government of which we read in history, that of the strong defender of his tribe's snd people's liberties, the man of mighty prowess, the successful and courageous leader In battle, the military depot; that of sl nlrkfM ihnipn few. an ollrflrctiv. gradually gathering, by a demonstrat ed capacity for ruling or forcible us urpation, all authority Into their hands; that of a feudal lordship, each all powerfully sovereign within Its seperste domain, wielding power of an 1 1 ,.rwl swat , HWPUIUIO nrv ay i,7 nil- ixiimjI aniA rrvri 1 the people, esteemed to go with It as 0 much chattel; that of a monarchy, limited or unlimited, constitutional or , absolute, with power vested In a sin gle Individual, with or without Bounds circumscribing the area of .imperial authority; that of a republic, with the people it a whole uoverelgn, holding the scepter of imperial do minion. But whatever the form of govern ment, each was the State of Its day and olace, whether It wasPatrlarch- ate, Military Despotism. Oligarchy, Absolute or ronstltutlons! Monarchy, or Republic, and each bearing thus the same generic name, must hays rested upon some common basis? We are accustomed to speak com monly of the State, as though It were a detached distinct entity, 'with a definite and Independent existence of Its own. We speak of It familiarly, tot instance, as performing various functions for us. levying and gather ing our taxes, sweeping our streets, building our roads, dlggtnog our ca nals, leasing our franchise-rights, fur nishing us with fire and police pro tection, schooling our children, and doing Innumerable other things for us. and all this as thought It were S'ime external, separate, corporute agency by Itself. Hut this Is a pure Action of speech that we are thus In the habit of using, for vhat distinct, organic, outside being by Itself can the State have Who Is the State, and what Is the State? It Is told of a French king I think It was Louis 5CIV who, hearing some one speak of the State In his presence, lifted his brows in wide-eyed surprise and with superb self-assurance remarked. "The State! The State! I am the State!" In similar terms, but with much more thoroughgoing truth and right, could his people have said and the people of all times and lands, and we of to day In our land In our collective character as a people, say of our selves. "The State! The State! pVV am the State!" There Is no State outside of Its people, outside of you and me and the rest of the community co resident with u In a city, common wealth or country, and you and I and the rest of us linn make tip the only State there N or can be. In a very deep and cornpreh' nsive serif.- It Is true, that a government can rest only Upon am) exlnt only by and through and In the consent of the governed, and this Is no b- inn of any of the government-, paM .,r present, In On history of the world, than It Is of our own government to-dnv. till" republic of ours Tf the various peoples had Jiot consented. bal not iildci their acquiescence, whether through weak ness, cowardice, ignoi.inrc, ,,r what ever else, none of tin- x.irlou forms of despoti-m. m n have looked upon in the wurld ut different time, could have existed li was only because through lack 'if "trength. courage. In telligence or what not the pinpb- as sented to have them their tillers, that military despots. UihuIm. mmi archs, feudal lord, i niiid assume to take over and imn thr power and authority lln-v did K" In a sense, and a Very real sense, n true, that the Slate, win r ver It has been or w hat ever form It ha- l.iki n. ba tested In the final nn.il n iip.m te . .intn"ii basis of the I "llletlt "I III MIOIUIII- ty. the society of tic lime .ml plai e to hnvc It if It was sum! rot p latively Is ii further true th.it II Is not I ln-Fl.!'-. a- s thliiK outside and pint frotll them l(,;i III, pi Ope. I, l 1 !, ,, ., Ihltigx for the '-. no the State. IMf elv e Ho- thing" the the Si. lie. may 'i w 'o . w hat I li'oi o the ' ifcln i II :i ml 'ill t.. a l.nge 1 p " mid fine 'V ale slated I text. "1'IIV eminent. ,,r II 'if 0. Ol' li III- l alive ' vm- origlnal- lii r ( degree beneficicnt diversion and amusement in the older and the younger-iof 4U citizenry. And so I take It and lay H down as a -principle derived' from these activities of. the State, that IU legitimate aiid' proper function- can consistenly -. and - logically know no end and no deviation from its pres ent -line of procedure, until ft 1n eludes In its services to its citizens, all things, all agencies promotive of life and culture, which will enable the in dividual better, than If Jeff, to hjm. self, to build up the strongest, 'the most intelligent, capable and useful manhood that lies within his powers. In brief, and to be more explicit, I would say that I believe in the State doing all things for its citizens, whloh it Is demonstrable that society, act ing thus collectively, can do better for them, than they can do privately for themselves, or can have done prl Vately for them by ethers. Does this sound radical, almost socialistic? and am I told that it in volves the proposition so much moot ed and debated to-day, of State, of government ownership and control of public utilities now In the hands of private Individuals and corporations? Even so It may be, I acknowledge, but at the same time I would point out that nothing else and nothing less can be Involved In the principle upon which the, State Is even now proceed ing and rightly and wisely the most of us believe If this principle is car ried to its natural and logical con clusion. The State Is now undertaking to do so much, not merely negatively, but positively as well, to conserve and enlnrga the sum of the common good of Its citizens. Why should It not then be free to undertake to do this In all ways which lie open to It, and are demonstrably within Its power and rights to employ? What differ ence Is there In the mods or principle by which the city owns and operates the waterworks and undertakes to furnish us with water, from that by which ft might assume the ownership snd operation of the gas and electric light plants, and undertake to furnish us with light and heat as wvll as water? Whut difference, moreover, Is there In the mode or principle by which the national government takes charge of tho postal system and un dertakes to transport and deliver our letters and packuges, from that by which It might assume charge of our railroads, the telegraph and tele phone, and undertake to transport our persons, out commodities and dispatches as well as our letters? If the State would be going beyond Its legitimate function In any of these matters, so should It logically In the others lis well. Hut perhaps It Is not a matter of principle that Is here Involved that mayhap Is conceded but other mat ters. We bear objections of other kinds frequently raised, the objection for one thing, of the questionable ex pediency and practicality; of the doubtful ability of the State to man age and administer with the equal efficiency and economy ss under pri vate control snd direction, such great nterprlses ns those mentioned; the objection for another thing, of the opportunities for dishonesty, knirvrry and corrupt practices of all kinds among the public servants, to whom the administration of such enterprises should fall. As to tho first objection, let It be observed that It must remain an open question, wholly t matter of conjec ture, until at least the experiment In each Instance has been put to a fair and practical test, whether a sim ilar anil equally elhVent service on as economic a basis cannot be obtained under government administration as tinder private, it Is manifestly unfair to render such Instantaneous off-hand prejudli II judgment that It cannot be thus obtained (In know now, for lii-tance, that such efficient and eionomle service Is being obtained from mir waterworks and postal sys tem under such ndmlnlstr'ttloa to day If thero Is any question as to complete economy in results In the latter nf these, ns was endeavored to he shown, but not In the best of faith, I am Inclined to believe. In the offer made by a private corporation the , otter dav to take over the postal ,.vti'm and administer It, If not more ! sin i essfuiiy. more economically, the ! fault heie does not lie with the gov ernment. Uut wlih the railroad --or- porallons w h'ch are not dealing tiilr- Iv and hon-Mtly with c government lln the cluuges they ure making for transpui'llng the mall. ' A to me other objection, the fear l.itgely expressed tiy trie corporation j Ini'iesiH inwdveil and their organs, I tli.il et, tiding the range of tho gov ernmental eontrol ami administration I "f public servii e utilities must cor res,ondni!lv extend the opportunities ! for corruption among public servants,, let li be observed that the present administrators of such utilities, ure ; far from Innocent ttiemselves of cor rupt prm tires, and that much of the i irruption In public onlcc among pub- (In functionaries to-tiny. Is to be laid j now here elm- than before the very doors of these who are so much ex ercised now hut debauchery In the 1 public service. If there were no bribe- gl. r. It requires no nrgumetit. ruere ; ,'oiild be no bribe-takers; and certain- i ly the In Ibe-glver. the tempter to' 'corruption stands upon no higher i moral ground, if upon lower than! Ho bilbe laker, thr inrruplly templ- d ll comes wltli ill grace then 1 fi in the private corporations, which have been so notoiiously lacking In a ! 'sense oi honor and honesty in their i 'method and praitlces, that they should be 0 fearful till of a sudden of yielding up monopolies. whlcit and naturally belong to Who do th'i.K" for Mo Hut now uli it .t. State, or til" people thus do ii in ,.th lire the put po.., and fittite '.' We ( miu w li; for a long tlm and ixtetd to-da this "i toi are and wire I 1 succinct ly i ti l hat , . 'Hsnlnah quoled as oi for the Welfare of th, e. were It not f"r tin i. W'OUld SWalloW CM' ll fSoverrimeiit. tl.e Ht.iie M Inntltutrd. and lo has ten maintained iw-r lm- . slm ply for the perforioHine of ,ol: e do ties, the preM-rvatlon of onli i iu,d fr CUrlty in society. Mm have had t. lei-l the strong restraining hand of ! rightfully some power over them, to keep tin ml""" pubic, because of the danger from aggressions upon tin lights of '" honor and honesty which the op-I tratxrtv and rieraon of nth,,. Km f 1'ieni may set before those' " me 1'iiiiiic may elect to aumili- M.r them for It. At the very worst.) sociidy iniibi scarcely fare any trurw ! from Hie dishonesty of the new ad nilnlstiators. than It did from that i of tne old one. Ana el best, there; Is the llkllhood, u by no means Im. i proiiatii,. onp, (hut It would fare bet ter, vastly, Incalculably belter through a much more faithful and honest care f to.- public Int.ren. T tetuMi ii our familiar instances; the I'ostoftice and Waterworks De. pmtinetits have In on adnilristrred al. must unexceptiomiiv with conspicu ous .loneaty n.i r.ilili'y om the part of ir.e public serva'.-. A en as made s.iin.1 'I'tte :tr" '.bout IrresularllUs In the postal service But a rigid ex amination fellvd to revest . anything but instances of s slight and sporadic dlrflionssly. On the whole It wn demonstrated that high ordr of faithful, conscientious and scrupulous devotion to the public service obtain e throughout all branches of rne de ruitlment. 1 u nn ressott then to believe why the same high order f earnest honest, faithful devotion to the people's good should not ob. tain uniformly elsewhere, .wherever tha Btata ml1it grl Its funotlons control rud oporitlon ol public -rv:ce ittllUlfs. The State, 1 noted at . the outset. Is after all none other than we one. sttlvt s, jou and I and tUe rest of ut here in mis nation or other nations; and the (idle therefore ran be none Othtr t!un what, you end I and the rest of tin, make it Is the govern irt'tnl of it to be good? That rests wli'n the aino parties, with us, none oth r :han you ami me ipd the rent of us. There tan be no cood gov ernment unless those who constitute it, ' are good. Tt quality of a gov ernment cannot i!w high.-r t'nun the quality of Its cttlfcennhlp, . It remalus then with those ot us who profess to be "the good', elements of society, to see that we discharge our- duty 'nere. We are accustomed to speak in disparaging terms of the . "lowuess" of politics, if there Is any lowness there, we ourselves are not' without a large measure of responsibility and blame for it. Politics must remain low as long as we permit It to be so by our Indifference and neglect Shaking these off, putting away from us all our sloth and ready acqules ence In the acceptance of public offlce by whomsoever, no matter how un worthy, may accept them, pitching In actively ourselves as we should, put ting ourselves with our full energies there where as men of the right pub lic Interests, we can redeem politics from its unnatural, its unnecessary lowness, and place It where it prop erly belongs, on a high plane of dig nified resepctablllty. And Snowing the way thus ourselves where we 'nave the ability and time and even at the cost of some sacrifice, if nec essary mat oiner or the oroDer ca- slstlng thtat others of tne proper ca pacity ana cnaracter do likewise, and for no moment In mistaken goodna tured toleration r from mere lasv supines or whatever else, sanctioning me presence in public office of any rogue or any Incompetent, thus act ing and thus doing, we can moke and assure, and not till then, a govern ment which Is really and eenulnelv good. IH i s Hut What a sad tiling It were If l,is were the sole and peculiar funtlon of the mi .4 I . e ri in, tut ii o hoik was, mi ni merely " AhlUWln exu-l 1 to. kn,1 1 1. I.. draxtlc means for keenlns im n ns , graphically stated, from "swallowing each other alive?" The modern mn- ' MmiAn nr vn riincf inn rtr iha ui,i.i S Is far wider and higher than this it rrsarna 11 inr ii-imiiiiuih omce or ffh KtAte not nhlv lo ruarit nml i,r,i. niot the wel-bclig of society In niereiy ncguv ways oy prniecitng h 1rfitn thna whn mean nitiilr unit Innutrv to It. hut a I no In a-unrd ami protect that well-being In well defined positive ways, by actively advancing the common good of lis members. Thus we see the mate to-day, with Its health department doing all It ran ny . w iw una . fnngnwueo mvsns to , preserve and strengthen the health of the people: thus see It with It school and libraries, doing Its utmost t foster ana promote Intelligence; thtt ve it, with Its museums, srt fu!.'erlcs. concerts, parks, playgrounds tnlrilstrrlng to the sense of tha aee thetic, tha love of wholesome and HELPS TO BIBLE READING. A Correspondent Makes Some Sug gestions for the Benefit of TImm. Who Deslrf to Make More Fre quent Cse of the Good Book The Book of Luke Suggested as the Most Beautlfnl in Um Bible. To the Editor of The Observer: Anent your recent editorial and comments on Bible reading your cor respondent sends the following se lect readings taken from Nave's Topical Bible, principally, which I trust may be of Interest and timely: Judah's defense: Gen. 44:18. .Joseph revealing his Identity: Gen. 45:1. The deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh: Ex. 45:5. Rong of Moaea when Pharoah and his army were overthrown: Ex. 15:1, David's lament over Absalom: 2d Sam. 1 S: 19. Lights and shadows: Ruth 1:1. Elijah's miraculous, preservation: 1 Kings 17:1. Ellsha and the widow's oil: 2 Kings 4:1. Naaman the leper: 2. Kings 5:1. Esther's triumph: Est. 4:1 and 7:1. The brevity of life: Job. 14:1. Nature's testimony: Job 28:1. Ood's challenge to Job: Job S8:l. The beasts of the field: Job. 39:1. The righteous and the wicked In contrastj.psalms 1. . The triumphant kings: Psalms 2. Man In nature: Psalms 8. Man In eternity: Psalms 18:1-1. Confidence In God: Psalms 23. The King of Glory: Psalms 24. The glory of God: Psalms 29. Our refuge: Psalms 46. The majesty of (iod: Psalms 77:13-20. The Joy of the righteous: Psalms 84. The state of the godly: Psalms 1. The new song: Psalms 98. The majesty and providence of God: Psalms 104. In captivity: Psalms 137. The omnipotence nf God: Psalms 139: Old age: Eccl. 12:1. Chrlsf's kingdom foreshadowed: Isaiah 3 T. : I . The omnipotence snd Incompar ableness of God: Isaiah 40:1. The wrath of God: Amos 9:1. The majesty of God: Heb. 8:8. Mary.s magnificat: Luhs 1:48. The nativity: Luke 1:8-20. The prophetic blessing of Zaeha rlas: Luke 1:67. The beatitudes: Matt. 6:1. Unfl's providence: Matt. 6:28. Wise and Foolish builders: Matt 7:21. The good Samaritan: Luke 10:11. The prodigal son: Luke 15:11. The raising of Latarus: John 11:1. The betrayal: Luke 22:4 7. The resurrection: Luke 24:1. Peter at Pentecost: Acts 2:1. Stephen's defense: Acts 7:1. Paul and Silas In prison: Acts 16:16. Paul on Mars' Mill: Acts 17:22. Paul before Felix: Acts 24:1. Paul before Agrlppa: Acts 18:1. Charily: 1 Oor. 18:1. The new heaven and trie new earth: Itev 21:1. The river of life: Rev. 22:1. A meditation upon the mighty power and wonderful providence of God: Psalms 104. Elegy of David on Saul and Jon athan. 2 Hum. 1:17. Elegy of David on Abner: 2 Sam. 3:33-34 Pi rsonltlcatlon of wisdom: Prnv. I, 2:l-; 8:. In addition to the above there are many besutlfui poems In the Qlble, especially among the Psalms, which anyone would be better for haviiu read. The writer Is not a preacher, but finds It profitable to spend a quiet evening occasionally with his Bible, In preference to some of th later honks and periodicals The Bonk of Luke Is said to be the most beautiful book ever written, from a purely literary and humani tarian standpoint. It tells about the Infancy of our Savior, and more about Ills mother and other women than the other gospels, so that It has been called "th Gospel of Womsnhood." it ran be read In an evening. fi. Mule Dangerously Injure Toung Man Mr. Louis Williamson, a young man ot Steele Crek township, lies In a critical condition at his home near Hhoptun as a resmt of a fall from a mule Friday night. Mr. Williamson was en route to a neighbor's house to attend a party when tha mule he was riding shid at a pile of rock and threw him violently lo tha ground and stepped upon him, breaking two or three rib and injuring him In ternally. Mr. Williamson wsi able to get home, but he soon realised 'that his Injuries were mora serious than he had first thought and a doctor was summoned, - ' Table and had llnsn don nttr way lasts longer bacauselt'a fcahdted dlf. frnt end4-, Ironed both sides. JTaema IttV fasltarr LAundry. BACK TO FIRST PRINCIPLES OL'll 'cONTmilUTIOtf TO BOSTON Th Bond of Sympathy Between New England and North Carolina Jo aiah Qttlncy's Visit to Wilmington After tho Passage of the Boston Port Bill Tho Wilmington Letter e to the Keveral Counties of the Prov ; Ince Did All fcho Could to Kxhlblo Brotherly Feeling for Boston. By ANDREW. J. HOWELL, JR. It Is a pleasing reflection that the people of our country, that Is, ' tha real, American, fundamental element -In Jthesa latter years,' are getting back to tha feeling of brotherly sym pathy which pervaded it during it early days. And this Is but natural. We have been passing through a tense strugle for progress; we have had divergent Interests w have misunderstood each other, and ' have had ,hard feel ings; now we are settling down to first principles.' Itere Is an example: New England and North Carolina hardly to W mentioned in the sama breath a generation or so back ehould really be as closely knit in ties of comity as the people In adjoining counties.' They are to a large extent one people. Massachusetts gave southeastern North Carolina, proba bly. Its first Inhabitants. They were those who were unwilling to submit to the restrictions of Puritan worship and customs, and who sought a place of freedom to. do as they liked. There were other settlers ..ho found their way, at nearly the same time, to that part of the State, and they were those who would not yield to the requirements of the State govern ment of Virginia in establishing the Church of England. So that North Carolina was reproachfully styled the "harbor of rogues snd rene gades." That Is Interesting history. It Is a commentary upon a people who have been free with their sympathies, Im patient under oppression, and bold to act when the occasion comes. The resistance to the stamp act of 1765 is an instance of the display of these qualities. Of course, the oppo sition to this measure was general throughout the colonies; but the peo ple on the Cape Fear, In North Caro lina, assembled eight hundred strong, and forbade the 29-gun sloop-of-war Diligence to land the stamps she brought. They also many of them likewise without disguise and In the broad day, defied the Royat Governor and his resources of power, and com pelled the stamp masters, whom he harbored, to take an oath renouncing their office. They have done many things since then to show their Inde pendence of spirit. One of these lately was the overthrow in Wilming ton of the dark cloud of negro dom ination In 1898, and to assert the right of the white man to rule. This, may be, should be referred to with bated breath to a New Englander; but there are several New Englanders now living In Wilmington and they were partlctps criminals with ap proving consciences. To keep in line with the subject of this article, and reverting to Revolu tionary times, here is a subject over w hich a Bostonlan and a Wllmlngton lan may clasp hands, and say, "We are brothers through the old-time unity of feeling." Joslah Qulncy. the Boston patriot, visited Wilmington a short while af ter the passage of the Boston Port BUI, to assist in arousing a unity uf feeling In the common cause of In dependence, and also to aid In estab lishing a general system of corres pondence between the colonies. He waa a guest of Cornelius Harnett, with whom, together with General Robert Howe, he had a conference, which has lived In the traditions of the town. News of the grievances of the cltleens of Boston also came from other sources, until the people of the section were thoroughly aroused. There was a large meeting in Wilmington on July 2, 1774, and a circular letter was adopt ed to be sent to the 'several counties of the Province, expressive of sympathy for the "Brethren of Massachusetts Hay." Resolutions were passed, declaring the "cause of the town of Boston as the common cause of British America, and the Inhabi tants thereof as suffering In the de fence of the rights of the colonies In general;" and the meeting expressed a "sincere Intention to contribute by every means In their power" to Induce their Northern brethren "to maintain with prudence and firmness the glo rious csuse In which they had em barked." As a result of the meeting a subscription paper was circulated for the relief of the "suffering breth ren In Boston " In a few days a fund of two thousand pounds was raised, which, with contributions of supplies, provided a cargo to be shipped to Boston. Mr. Parker Quince generously offered his vessel to carry the freight without cost: and the master and sailors of the ship refused to accept any compensation whatever for their services. There It Is; a well-authenclated, historic fact. Wilmington, In North Carolina, did all she could to exhibit a brotherly feeling toward the people of Boston at n time of their need; and may the recallng of the Incident serve to strengthen the confidence and es teem existing between the great city of New England and the chief sea port of North Carolina. The Call OF ThcVVisc GIVE ME A CAN OF THAT EXCELLENT White House Coffee It's delicious and satisfying. in rtrt ' rl mmm We place on sale Monday morning an excep tional good quality of Black Silk' Taffeta Under skirts, made witlr deep silk dust ruffle. 1 These Skirts are of generous width apd-made up In a very preftv and effective style. Flounce, with two rows of shirrinsr and rows 'of small tucks be tween. Nothing to catch and hold the dust and dirt. All lengths 39 to 44 inches. The , price while this lot lasts is . $4.98 Extra sizes for large women, very wide hip measure of the above style Skirt, $5.75. Mail Orders rilled PICE (6 North Tryon "THE BRIGHT SPOT' Eiioawd by Natirt Witt Sipriority if foiliet tot? ipfcicatly HA RL OT T E b EsseiteUy Dtstiid U be i GREAT COMMERCIAL CENTER Already recognized as an indespensible point of supply and distribution, surrounded by abundant varied natural resources and a rich agricultural country; easy of access to points of other localities, containing adequate banking facilities and all other modern equipments necessary to constitute the foundation for the building of a great Commercial Center. With these conditions existing it is reasonable to invite the public to "Watch Charlotte Grow' For information apply to The Greater Charlotte Club V. T: Convi, Secretary ladntto N f fli VII.! IVttV 1 . v' : I . - . m v.i
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 13, 1907, edition 1
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