The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-08-01


is the government Of great cities 10
democracy. Now. here is the great
est city in the country, jnst delivered
from gang Of robbers, and with the
question of future security pressing
for Immediate settlement. Ard what
do our SOloUs at Albany do about itY
Certainly they 10 not slight IT; for
months they have talked Of nothing
else; but the chief aspect II takes ii,
Shall the city Offices be secnred to
the RepuhIieaBs--tb Is, to Tom S..
Dick D., Harry c., their heirs and
assigusg II Nessfs. Tom, Dick and
Harry ara disappointed, It will be
something 10 he grateful for; but
mark how little will even then have
been done. The city viii simply not
have been declared the spoil Of one
set Of politicians. That is as far rs
we often get. in such case--to de.
feat particular rascality. For the
positive constructive work Of
scheme of government for the city,
planned by the best political sagaci-
~ Of the time. adopted and allowed
fair trial where shall We Iook7
Take another example, of wider
appIicatioD-;ll treatment OF 6nan-
cial affairs by Congress. Last fall,
the Secretary Of the Treasury assuu-
ed the right to issue currency ut his
own discretion from a reserve fund of
forty-four millions. 1t was widely
believed that the claim was unf0und-
ell In law. and that its exercise was
full of mischief TO the mercantile
community. Beyond doubt. the
matter lay in the power OF Congress
to regulate. That botIys> attention
was called 10 Il. one Of iss commit
tees iDtinIated disapproyal; but tho
whole question w.Gs passed over by
the Sebnte aud House without aciioIfi
Il was case Of gross and IaIrable
negligence. Apparently there was
no definite motive for il; it was SIN
ply that Congress ba1 not vigor
enough. or la not intelligence
enough, or vas too much absorbed
IN its personal scandals, 10 settle, pyD
or CON, q grave financial question:
The whole history Of Congressional
legislation on Gnance. Of lato years
certainly, Is largely u history of IL
norance aud carelessness.
The worst feature in our political
condition ID the misgovernIaent of
many of the Southern STAGES. In
regard to most Of them, We arc
thankful TO Congress that it has re-
Gently forborne 10 interfere. For To-
cal troub.es tho let-alcns Tolicy il
the true one for the general Govern
ment. Bot at the last sessio-, the
worst trouble in the South was
brought within the province Of Con-
gress. In the Louisiana case the
President had already interfereJ; i
was for Congress either TO LIl Einl.
withdraw, or itself 10 take NJ the
matter aud deal with it. Congress
did neither the one nor the other.
Il shamefully sLirked the whole bus.
iness. 1t had other things TO attend
toi
We will cite bat one other iIlustra-
ton. What has Congress or any of
our Legislatures done toward meet
ing the labor difficulty? We readily
admit that this class of subjects is
full of perplexity, and that it Il
loHbtfnl bow far Legislative action Is
called for upon them. B 1t they are
Of great aud growing importance, aud
certainly not 70 be isnorell- hyI anx.
wise government. What. have oar
governments doIe? Massachusetts,
alone has taken action for gettiag
light upon the matter by official ssa-
tisiics, though this is the least that
should be done. In general, oar
politicians have confined themselves
to bu1eonbe resolutions. Often
they have done worse than that.
Congress has passed an eight-honr
law for the national workmen. The
law was a sheer piece of demacou-
ism. TWAS not based on any intel
ligeht conviction that eight hours
was fair days work. mud should re-
ctive the old ten hours' wages. It
was a stop to voters, and, as far as
It went. it said to the Iaboring class,
'Anything you want: only keep Us
in ofEicer's We do not undertake to
say what Legislative action Is needed
in regard to labor: but we do say
this: il in any State hundred intel
ligent and disinterested men met
daily for three mouths to consult for
the welfare OF the community, '.la-
bor questions" would come in for a.
large share Of their attention. Why
do our governing bldi IS so ea--
tirely ignore this class Of subj. ctsg
Il It lack Of intelligence or Of dispo-
sitiun?
We have brought forward these
instances in support of the PROPOSE
ton. of which the proof might ba
multiplied almost inde6uitely, tlias
our governing bodies largely. neglect
their proper work. So far from e.n-
bodying the highest intelligence and
best purpose of the community. they
do not represent it's average wisdom
and virtue. In theory. the cfieers
OF a rppnlllie are it's servants. But
no merchant would keep a set of
clerks who served him as inefieIently
aS our average congressman aud
A Assenb.ymen serve sis The reason
for the trouble il not far to seek. III
theory. the peo, Ia chouse from their
whole number those whom they think
/ fittest 10 govern them. In --acticr.
the people generally let the inen be
Echosen who will take the irOnlils 10
push themselves forward. Elective
officers are giveh less in recognition
of sagncity ami patr utism. than aa
prizes for Shrewd seltishhess. No
Constitutional amendment or other