CIVIL GOVERNMENT AS ADMINISTERED.
CIVIL government has but one excuse for existence, and that is protection of the natural rights of man; but it has been sadly perverted to the idea of self-aggrandizement. It was with this idea—a view to turning every human attribute into that one channel—that religion was added to the functions of the State; hence the anomaly of Church-and-State union. The true idea of civil government was nearer to consummation when the United States Constitution, based on the Declaration of Independence, was put in operation than ever before. These principles, following up the Reformation, gave us the principle of the separation of Church and State. When the later amendments were added, it was about as near perfection as could be expected of government in the hands of sinful men. But in practical administration of a wide and diversified field, there is no doubt that in the matter of that which is popularly called "civilization," the government of Great Britain wields a greater influence than any other. While the principle of republican government is the ideal civil government, it is not practicable for one universal government, or for one government to control or different grand divisions of the earth. The moment a republic undertakes any kind of foreign rule, it ceases to a certain extent to be a republic—at least in so far as its domination over the foreign possessions is concerned. This has been shown by the experience of the United States in the endeavor to administer the affairs of her new and remote possessions. It has been demonstrated that it is impracticable to hold the Philippines under the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; altho an independent republican government would be practicable for those islands—if the people understand what it means. As it is now, however, the people of the United States are not willing that the Filipinos shall be granted equal privileges with themselves, not even to have an ordinary territorial government; and the Filipinos, excepting a very small minority, are not willing to be annexed at all. So that, a true republican government of the Philippines by the United States is an impossibility. The leading idea of imperial government is the aggrandizement of the government, while the primary idea of a republic is the welfare of the people. But the government of Great Britain, being a constitutional monarchy, combines both ideas. Therefore, if there is to be a single central government operating in separate geographical divisions, with provinces remote from each other, the British Government is the best so far devised. To illustrate: It would be not only impossible, but impracticable if possible, to annex the Transvaal Republic to the United States, as has been suggested, on account of its surroundings and remoteness; but it would be a great benefit to Great Britain, and no doubt a benefit to a majority of the inhabitants of the republic, to have the Transvaal added to the British possessions. This much has been said that what follows may not be deemed an adverse criticism of the British Government as compared with others. The object is to show the way of the world, the character of human government as administered by the best specimens now extant. Under the British flag there has been a wider extent of Christian mission work than under any other, and Great Britain is reckoned as the foremost of the "Christian" nations. This being the case, it looks strange that $625,000 is the measure of the government's donation to over 60,000,000 starving subjects in India, while $750,000,000 is scarcely up to the amount spent in less time for war in South Africa against less than half of 1,000,000 people. The war is said to be costing $1,500,000 per day, to say nothing of the thousands of lives that have been sacrificed, and the aftermath of cripples, destitute widows and orphans, and pensions. Civil government carried on for government aggrandizement always means enormous outlay for military purposes. It always means war to a greater or less extent, with its sorrow, suffering, and destitution, because of the waste of means that otherwise might provide at least the necessaries of life for all at all times. We here present a most significant comparison, which those who talk glibly of "Christian" civil governments would do well to consider. The Christian Herald, in its appeal for funds to aid the famine sufferers in India, says:— "Every time the clock strikes the hour it tolls the death-knell of at least five hundred victims in India who have died for the want of a crust. The cable operates quickly, and your contribution to-day may save scores, hundreds, yes, thousands of lives to-morrow.
"How many lives will you save?
"Two cents a day will support one life.
"One dollar will save a life for two months.
"Two dollars will save a life until the harvest.
"Five dollars will save a man, wife, and child until the next crop is gathered.
"Ten dollars will save a whole family from death.
"Twenty dollars will save ten lives for four months.
"Twenty-five dollars will save them and afford them the comfort of blankets during the rainy and cold season.
"Fifty dollars would save five families.
"One hundred dollars would save a small community." The North American presents this statement in another way, which is a little more striking view of the principle involved. Here is the estimate:— "One pair of cavalry boots will save a man, wife, and child until the next crop is gathered.
"One minute's discharge of a Maxim gun will save a whole family from death.
"The cost of the war for one second will save ten lives for four months.
"Two rifles will save them and afford them the comfort of blankets during the rainy and cold season.
"The cost of firing one shot from a six-inch gun would save five families.
"One scrub baggage-train horse would save a small community.
"One-fifth of the cost of attempting to conquer the Boers would save the entire fifty millions of England's starving subjects in India.
"The rescue of these lives is simply a matter of money. There is food enough in India. All that is necessary is the means of buying it." The foregoing throws the X-ray upon the popular idea of civil government's expenditure of the people's money, even when that government is popularly recognized as "Christian." Contrast it with the real mission of Christ, as expressed in His own words, "The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them," also with the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfies not?" Surely the very best view of the very best specimens of civil government yet devised, or that it is possible to devise, can only add to the importance of the prayer: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."