Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-10-04
A surfeit OF Government.

1.-THE world is governed too much
This axiom was uttered many years ago
II it was true in its application thee, how
much more is il so now. Politics Is the
science Of government. and noticing how
much attention is given to the study and
application Of this science, as It IS under
stood in these days, one would say that
the chief end Of man was to contrive how
he and his fellows shall be governed.
Two.thirds Of the time Of all men in this
country is expended in the consideration
Of politics-studying how to govern.
Man expends very near all his time In eff
forts to govern himself and others. Poll
tics! politics! politics! the burden of
every song. OF every paper. OF every pull
pit, of every conversation. The journals
Of the day are more than two-thirds filled
with reference TO, and discussions on.
politics. Less than one-third Of their
space is occupied with attention to manu-
features, finance, fine arts, religion, social
economy, sanitary matters, food, clothing,
and other things going to make up the or
binary material aesthetic needs Of life.
Over s~wo-thirds of our time is wasted in
discussing the problems Of governing man;
less than one-third in e~ndeavoring to
solve the problem Of how to live, to enjoy
life. and to die in peace with God and
man. Is this not governing the
world TOO muchs Is there any need
Of so much government, or, rather. Of
80 much discussion Of the science Of Gov
eminent: Why is it that writers and
speakers are almost eternally writing and
spouting politics, to the exclusion OF al
most every other subject: Is it because
less brains. knowledge and common sense
are required to "patIer" huently on poll
tics than upon almost any other question:
N~ine,y-nine one hundredths Of the trash
uttered on politics might as well or better
be lef, unuttered. 1t does not serve to
make men better. healthier, wiser or hap.
pier; it rather exerts a reverse influence. II
only serves to give prominence to ranting
d~emagogues, bread and butter and posi-
ton TO nincompoops who could never
gain meat or notoriety in any other way.
The more attention given to politics the
worse we seem to be governed. Il Is rath-
er a reflection upon the common sense OF
the people that two-thirds Of their time Is
spent in discussing the science Of govern
ing themselves, and that the more they
discuss it the more they become dissstis-
fed with the results. What with elections
somewhere about every week in the year ;
what with the almost daily making and
unmaking Of officers; what with hordes
Of political rsnters, the clouds Of polit-
ical sheets, and the universal pres
ence of the telegraph TO constantly watt
from one neighborhood 10 another politi-
cal facts, rumors and lies, the people have
become thoroughly infected with the fever
OF politics-,hey are fairly aglow from its
effects-it scorches the country every
where, and it will be a mercy il it does
not consume the Nation. More time, at
tention and money are expended upon the
election Of Constables or less consequent
tial officers, in the United States, than
upon the establishment Of Schools; BY
the ingenuity of politicians more public
attention is directed TO, and interest
awakened in. the appointment or removal
of some ffth-ra,e officer. than in the pro-
gress of the Pacific Railroad. At the rate
we are going we shall Dor be expanding
our whole time in settling the point as TO
wha, particular political bummers shall
eat what little public bread may be left in
the land. The science of government-or
rather tha, balderdssh which has usurped
its place, paruzan poli,ics-will soon ab-
sorb the whole attention Of the people;
then they will make no bread for political
to eat, nor money for political
thieves to steal. Then. and probably not
till then. will the political fever die out,
and people devote their attention to the
question, How TO Live ;" rather than the
one, "How TO Govern :"-S. F. CdR..