Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-04-19

tcrest5 arc at stake, those who ngre
on the most important principles wi
nnite, and must do so in order to u
sufficiently strong to do their work I
Without party administration an
party action, IL is impossible that II
majority should rule or that q vigog
GUS opposition can rise to maioritI
and rule in turn. Liberty requires
parliamentary government, -and NJ
truly parliamentary government cal
be conceived Of without the piinciph
Of party administration. 1t becamI
fully developed under Sir Robert Wa
pole. Under the previous governments
mixed cabinets Of wings and torio
were common, when court intrigue
and individual royal sllkines and Dis
likes had necessarily often greater
offect than national views and inter
ests TO which it is the object of party
administration to give the sway" Il
may bo said that partisan rancor has
swept away the value of party organ
ization, and that their destruction
will be a benefit. / do not think so
Many evils necessarily result from
them as administoredi in our country,
but they arc vitally necessary for q
much greater good. They are essen.
tial to civil liberty, and their destruc.
ton would speedily result in the down.
fall Of republican Institutions Oneis
ever the watch upon the actions Of
the other The "outs" ealously
guard the people from the misdeeds
Of the " ms and even the slightest
deviation from the true interests OF
the people is seized and commented
upon BY party leaders and a party
press, and any departure from the
path of duty to the public is quickly
occupied as the avenue to power BY
the antagonist. Important leading
IDEAS can only be engrafted upon gov
ernmcntal policy by unity Of action
through party organization, and with
out il, failure would inevitably result.
Closeness of communication with the
people and direct responsibility 10
them enables them to govern by force
Of public opinion, and the revelation
il produces is hcalthful and invigorat.
inc to the body polite. Through it
the majority party of to day may be
the minority party of 10 morrow. 1t
is TO be feared that change Of the
majority rule will give us a majority
continually ruling and a minority
stagnating, and that the political or
CARNATIONS, whose annual, triennial
and quadrennial struggles cleanse and
invigorato the State will be heard OF
no more.
Our institutions embody the theory
of equality of persons aud Of rights, as
well as those of equality of intellect
and education, and the power Of the
majority aud obedience TO its rule
have their basis in part upon. tho, con,
soquent idea that the mhJOrlty Ol lhe
people have the major part Of the in
tcllect and education. Whether this
he true or not, ii is unnecessary to in.
quire; but it is important for US to
learn whether this rule aud theory is
to be changed, what its change i'm.
plies, and what its probable effect will
be. The advocates of the new system
all argue that a better class of men
will be selected if the minority rule
prevail, and that by the present rule
those most intelligent and best quali-
fed arc excluded,
Mr. Hare, in tho preface to his last
edition, thus puts it:
Everything which, in political life
liberates and increases the scope and
influence Of enlightened Judgment aud
cultivated reason, is of inestimable
service also TO those who occupy the
higher places in social rank, aud pos
sess, in the greatest measure the ad-
vanlages Of education and leisure
" Rank and wedifh set out with the
most favorable auspices, and stand up
on the vantage ground of competition.
They will more certainly retain their
position in the race, as they them
selves eschcw and cndcavor to purge
political life of all that is vile and base;
put forward their highest order OF
minds for public duties and public
honors, and do their utmost to pre-
vent seats in Parliament, or great Of.
fees or functions, from being made
the appanagc oftrihers or weak mon. "
SO IN chapter 5 s; +" In forming the
representative body to which is com.
miltcd the power Of government and
legislation, il is undeniable that il
would be wise to invite by every suit.
able inducement, and to gather with
every possible diligence and care, such
minds rs are by constitution and ex-
perience Of study the best fitted tc
deal with the subjects which at this
day come within the range of polili.
ca, action"
So in chapter 6: "Tho State can
not afford TO reject the services any
class, especially ofany highly instruct.
cd class, among its sons. 1t should
be fundamental principle that all
possible facilities should be given to
persons Of every class 10 offer them.
selves as candidates"
John Stuart Mill, in his "Represcn.
tative Government" cbapter7, afiirms
that "Tho natural tendency Of repre-
sentative government, as of modern
civilization, is toward collective medic.
crity and this tendency is increased
by all reductions aud extensions OF
the franchise, their effect being TO
place the principal power in the hands
Of classes moro and more below the
highest level of instruction in the com.
munily. But though the superior m-
teiiects and characters will necessarily
be outnumbcred, il makes a great dit.
ference whether or not they are heard.
In the false Democracy which, instead
of giving representation to all, give:
it only to the local majorilics, the
voice of the instructed minority may
have no organs at all in the represen
tativc body. In the American Dem
ocracy, which is constructed on thii
faulty model, the highly ceiiiraieo
members OF tho community, excepI
such Of them as arc willing 10 sacri
= 4.