mence of party spirit and the recklessness or want of scruple of party
leaders, and restrains the disposition of party government to abuse
its power. When a ministry or legislature feels the tide of opinion
beginning to run against some of their purposes they pause.
Many a plan has been abandoned without any formal declaration of
popular disapproval because disapproval was felt to be in the air.

Ross on

229. The defects of Public Opinion 1 In the above selection the merits of Public Opinion are set forth Professor by one of the most able statesmen of the present generation. In

the defects comparing the ballot with Public Opinion he concludes that as a of Public form of social control the latter has many advåntages over the Opinion. former. Let us notice, now, that as a form of social control Public Opinion is in several important respects inferior to law. Professor Ross discusses the defects of Public Opinion as follows:

[The penalties which Public Opinion imposes for mis-conduct] The penalare not definite, and not proportioned to the gravity of the offence. ties inflicted

by Public No member of the public knows just how much praise or blame, Opinion are

neither warmth or chill, others are applying. Moreover, systematic inquisi

definite, nor tion into guilt or merit, with observance of the rules of evidence proportioned

to the and due deliberation, is impossible with the public, for it does not

gravity of function as does a court. It merely reacts. From this fact arise the the offense. many injustices and mistakes which weaken the authority of Public Opinion. Again, to utilize the temper of the community, it is necessary The public

has a short to strike while the iron is hot. The ministers of the law, if they have

wrath and a slow foot, have a firm clutch and, like the gods, are known by their a poor long memories. But the public has a short wrath and a poor memory,

memory. and the offender, if he dodges into obscurity, and waits till the gust of public indignation is over, often goes unpunished.

As there is only one law in force at any one time, there can be no It is rarely clashing of jurisdictions. But the public is rarely unanimous, and unanimous. . Public Opinion often clashes with the sentiment of a sect, party, or class. In a homogeneous community, people are able to feel and think

a

a

alike in all important cases, and hence Public Opinion is effective; The result. but in a stratified community, the separation of classes hinders an

easy conduction of feeling. Here, then, an offender escapes the lowering glances and bitter words of his fellows by taking refuge in circles where his fault is condoned. The bruiser dives into the sporting class, the duellist haunts the mess-room, the ballot sharp takes refuge with his political friends, the snob shuts himself away from popular derision in a social club. This right of asylum with complaisant coteries is a very grave thing, for it often transforms an act of punishment

into a class war, and rends the community in twain. Public

The might of public wrath is destroyed by anything that diverts Opinion is powerless

it from an individual and spreads it harmlessly over a network of when the administrative responsibility. The common indignation, always conresponsibility fused by a shifting responsibility, is most baffled when responsibility for an act cannot be on being traced back is found to be lodged in a body of men. It is localized.

this fact that accounts for the increasing disregard of Pụblic Opinion in the management of business. Corporate organization opposes to public fury a cuirass of divided responsibility that conveys away harmlessly a shock that might have stretched iniquity prone. ... In such cases public indignation must be given an arm to strike and hurt with, if it is not to become mere impotent rage. [This truth is overlooked by those who] ignorantly extol the might of Public

Opinion in all cases whatsoever. . The public While the irascible instincts were given to man to fit him for the is moved

struggle for existence as it was ages ago, nothing is surer than that and influenced by to-day they are utterly unsafe to follow. . . . The first impulsive instincts

reactions of the public have almost nothing to do with social welwhich cannot be fare. It does not like unselfish devotion nor does it detest brazen trusted to

egotism. High on the crest of popular idolatry, the jockey, the guide or control bruiser, and the soubrette share the honors with the soldier, the modern

patriot, and the philanthropist. The public is enraged at vivisection society.

or grave-robbing. It is flaccid before bribery, breaking quarantine, the adulteration of drugs, or the plugging of armor plate. People react most against that which shocks their instincts, but these offences being contrary to deep-seated instincts are just those which are least liable to spread and threaten the life of society. Light shines first on the few, and the public is the last to apprehend the

to the

real bearing and ultimate results of conduct. The handful of thoughtful men penalize forest-firing and the selling of explosive oil, and the killing of game out of season, while yet the senseless mob is gnashing its teeth at vaccinators and body snatchers.

In certain directions ... unenlightened Public Opinion pushes Unenlightregulation to excess. It is possible for the vague feelings against ened Public

Opinion vegetarianism, or long hair, or "bloomers," or non-church-going, may push to run together into a hostile and imperious public sentiment. It regulation is but a step from the image-breaker's hatred of stained glass, the point of Scotch Calvinist's contempt for a violin, the rabble's resentment

persecution. of a silk hat, or the frontiersman's detestation of a “biled” shirt, to a persecution that is as senseless as it is abominable. To the ignorant, unlikeness is an affront, nonconformity an outrage, and innovation a crime. Give full play to this feeling, and you have the intolerant multitude, eager to stretch every one on its Procrustean bed. It was the majority that stoned Stephen, banished Aristides, poisoned Socrates, mobbed Priestley, and beat Garrison. .

230. The improvement of Public Opinion Three points have been brought out in the two foregoing selections: The first, that Public Opinion is a powerful force, second, that it has its problem

with respect merits, and third, its defects. The constructive student should react to Public to this situation by sanctioning a program which will serve to retain Opinion. and to enlarge the merits of the Public Opinion, remove or mitigate its defects, and, in short, direct its power into channels which will be productive and helpful. The improvement of Public Opinion may come about in many ways, but fundamentally, perhaps, it depends upon education. The importance of the educative process in this regard is developed by Professors Blackmar and Gillin in the following passage:

Inasmuch as social order has been developed by slow degrees, Importance control by force has, at times, been necessary as a temporary

check

of education

in social upon insubordination; but it is always soon replaced by other agencies. control. Gradually the idea has grown that other forms of control are cheaper

From Frank W. Blackmar and John Lewis Gillin, Outlines of Sociology. The Macmillan Company, New York, 1915; pp. 393-397.

and more easily administered; and gradually other methods have become the usual ones. Since, however, the conscious effort of society to govern itself demands a recognition of the laws of social development and requires, among the component members of society, some ability to control themselves in the interests of the group, society cannot do better than to adopt the educational method as a means of establishing that high degree of intelligence necessary for democratic social control.

If the general intelligence is low, Public Opinion will, of necessity, be wrong in its premises; and the type of political and social life which develops will then be undemocratic. It is, of course, possible for a community to maintain order on a low standard of social responsibility; but only that society will be progressive and self-controlled in which Public Opinion is permeated with social idealism. And notwithstanding that, in any community, Public Opinion may sometimes be created by a few of the more intelligent, the fact remains that unless the majority has sufficient intelligence to understand the ideas of the leaders and make them their own, society will be controlled, not by Public Opinion, but by the opinions of a dominant few. For it is only when the members are in intelligent and harmonious sympathy with one another that Public Opinion can receive full expression - a condition involving not only individual capacity, but the perfection of social machinery as well.

As education grows more and more general, the critical faculty of individuals, becoming stimulated, gradually raises the governmental ideal. But the development is, indeed, gradual; for even when people have determined what is right, they sometimes find it very difficult so to perfect the machinery of legislation and justice as to carry out their ideals. As a matter of fact, there is nothing in human experience that requires more foresight, ability, and harmonious social action than does the creation of laws for the government of a free people. ...

Thus the state that is to be perpetuated through self-government must see to it that its citizens are well educated. ... Beginning in the grammar grades and continuing with increased force through the high school and the university, special training should be given in all the subjects that pertain to social order and social control. Everything that leads to an acquaintance with the political and indus

Effect of education

upon the

improve ment of government.

a

trial history of the nation, with its social and economic conditions, with its forms of government, its constitutional and common law, and, indeed, with its social relations, should be taught in its public schools.

Yet while the educating process should begin with the children Extent of and continue with the youth of the country, the work is not finished

the educa

tional with the training of these. And although discussion of public questions process. and some little dissemination of information is secured through the press and the platform, these agencies are really inadequate to meet the growing need. A realization of this inadequacy has recently led to the fruitful suggestion that the present public forum, furnished by newspapers, books, periodicals, public lectures and addresses, be supplemented by neighborhood gatherings of adults in the community building, the schoolhouse, for the discussion of questions of common interest. The suggestion has received the hearty indorsement of men of every political party and such leading educational and social bodies as the National Education Association, the National Federation of Woman's Clubs, the National Municipal League, the American Federation of Labor, the American Prison Congress, and three of the national political parties. And Wisconsin has already placed upon her statute books a law requiring that, upon the request of a certain number of citizens, the educational authorities shall open the doors of the schoolhouses for just such purpose.

In carrying out this project, there are, of course, such practical The problems to be met as that of gaining a sufficient number of the people

to extend of a community to take an interest in the discussion of public questions the scope and that of centering the responsibility for requisite leadership. But and influ

ence of the suggestion is certainly most significant and most worthy of an education honest endeavor to make the public school more effective in promoting is to be

commended. the intelligence and social efficiency of that ninety odd per cent of our people who never get beyond the grammar grades of our schools. More than this, special technical schools preparatory to civil service should be maintained for those who expect to make government their vocation; for if a state provides education for its own protection and general social well-being, and neglects the training of its officials, it is failing to use the best means it has for conscious development and social control.

movement