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THE MAROON TIGER
7
but a blank he cannot be. The seeds sown in life
spring up in harvest of blessings or harvests of sor
row, whether our influence be small or great, whether
it be for good or for evil, it lasts; it lives somewhere,
within some limit, and is operative wherever it is.
The grave buries the dead dust, hut character walks
the world and distributes itself as a benediction or a
curse among the families of mankind. The sun sets
beyond the western hills, but the trail of light he leaves
behind him guides the pilgrim to his distant home. The
trees fall in the forest; but in the lapse of ages they
are turned into coal and our fires burn now the bright
er because they grew and fell. The babe that per
ished on the bosom of its mother, like a flower that
bowed its head and dropped amid the death-frost of
time—that babe not only in its image, hut in its in
fluence still lives and speaks in the chamber of its
mother’s heart. The friend with whom we took sweet
counsel is removed visibly from the outward eye; but
the lesson that he taught, the grand sentiments that
he uttered, the holy deeds of generosity by which he
was characterized, the moral lineaments and likeness of
the man still survive and appear on the tables of mem
ory, and in the lights of morn, noon and dewy eve,
he yet speaks eloquently, and in the midst of us.
Character has an immortality that no sword-point
can destroy; that ever walks the world and leaves in
fluences behind. Monuments, columns and statues—
erected to heroes, poets, orators and statesmen are all
influences that extend into future ages. The blind old
man of Scio’s rocky isle still speaks. The mountain
bard still sings in every school. Shakespeare, the bard
of Avon, is still translated into every tongue. The phil
osophy of Socrates is still felt.
The aim to which Socrates set himself was not to
construct a system of philosophy, but to arouse in men
the love of truth and virtue, to help them think right
in order that they might live right. He did not offer a
theory at all, but practiced a method, lived it, and by
his example, taught others to follow it.
Every college man, not only in Morehouse, but in all
colleges should consider the question—How shall I or
der my life so that it will serve to the highest good?
Since we are here seeking knowledge, let us think of
some methods for improving our moral and religious
conditions. Remember that other lives are influenced
by our lives. Therefore, let our lives he stamped upon
the hearts of men.
THE LABOR PARTY RULES IN ENGLAND
J. W. Leathers, Jr.
The purpose of this article is not to deal with the
history of the Labor Party; for I am confining myself
to the discussion, that, in spite of the rise of the La
bor Party, the old order in England is still maintained.
During the Seventeenth Century the poltical order of
France was disturbed by the French Revolution affected
the landed aristocracy of the French people. Many
and many rights and privileges of the noble classes
were reduced to a status of subordination. Commun
ism in Russia has annihilated many political barriers
held by the Russian ancestors. The price paid to an
nihilate these political barriers was in the form of rev
olutions.
Unlike the French Revolution, and Communism in
Russia, the Labor Party has grown by leaps and bounds
without disturbing the political strata of England. Many
compliments have been paid to Mr. MacDonald, prime
minister of England by the English nobility. The idea
of fraternity has dominated instead of antagonism.
“This is revolution, hand in hand with the King,
making its how with phrases older than the Magna
Charter. There are no heads impaled on the spiked
railings of Buckingham Palace, or Westminster,
no rivulets of blood to spoil the magnificent vista
from the place to the Gates of Constitution Hill,
only infinite fraternity on all sides, the meeting of
friends old and dear.”
The same types of dress which have characterized
Prime Ministers, heretofore, were still worn by Mr. Mac
Donald. While on his fishing trips he dressed with
plumed hats to be worn at right angles, silk hose for
knee to be bent in the manner of Raleigh and Essex
before Elizabeth in homage to the throne. Soon no one
will be able to distinguish Labor sartorially from the
mob which Mr. MacDonald has described as bauble-
chasers, people mad about honors, gold braids and
things to hang in the lapels of their coats.”
The King’s Proclamation was issued under the great
seal dating as far back as Edward the Confessor; the
Labor Party is only about thirty-five years old. The
proclamation was in a phase suitable to a monarch,
in the absolute sense of the word, addressing his sub
ject; for the proclamation comes down to us from the
days of the early Norman kings, who first summoned
to Westminster the King’s Council. Mr. MacDonald is
a socialist from the beginning to the end; for he has
often stated, “only socialism can accommodate the hu
man souls.”
I am not positive concerning Mr. MacDonald’s view
on monarchial government, for there is an unwritten law
known as “good form” which restrains him from ex
pressing himself upon this point. This restrained at
titude which Mr. MacDonald has assumed has not been
assumed by all individuals heretofore; for during the
Victorian Period many criticism were uttered against
policies of the noble Queen. Moreover, Mr. H. G.
Wells has made many personal remarks about the King
in the pages of the Clissold.
Concerning Toryism, Mr. MacDonald has denounced
it outright; for he believes Toryism is the greatest ene
my to socialism, and the traditional citadel of aristoc
racy and feudalism; it is also the greatest supporter of
monarchy. Moreover. Toryism is the supporter of feu
dalism and aristocracy, while Labor is associated with
none of these “isms.” Labor has come into power not
by a coup d’etat, but by the election of the people and
with the Labor will rule the sanction of the people and
in accordance with the laws and tradition of the con
stitution. The old type of class war which has char
acterized England heretofore, during political revolu
tion has faded into oblivion. The English people are
making progress by leaps and bounds by not partici
pating in a class war during a political change.
In a country which has chosen to be ruled by Labor
the aristocrats still retain certain rights and privileges.
They have the right as peers in the seats in the House
of Commons. To be a peer is to receive a letter from
the King commanding that you and subsequently your
heir (male) shall take a seat in his council chamber.
It is true the power of the House of Lords has been
greatly curtailed by Parliament Act of 19’1; but it