, 1873-02-25

MR. CLARKE'a PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
Potter Cooper, Esq, Of New York, has pub
ished new edition Of the pamphlet Of Mr. c
G. z. Clarke, of oswego, N. T., entitled ssTht
True Method Of Representation in Large Con
stltuoncies." This argument has been previous.
| ~ noticed in our columns, but not ut such
length as its merits Justify. It is IN exceeding
y yforcible discussion Of the evls of our present
| representative system, with it's manifold cheat
| ing, bribery, kna7ery, ignorance, and sub
ordination Of the public interests to pri-
Tnte ends,-an Of which, 1Ir. Clarke
| contends, have their origin in tho Caucus. The
caucus is the place where those perBons most do
copgregate who desire to thrive at the public
expense. The great majority OF the better ele-
ments OF society do not attend the caucus. Or, il
they do, find themselves out1nannuyered and
outroted by the worse elements. This is es-
pcclauy true IN the municipal elections, and the
evil is fast invading State and National elections
The remedy which AIr. Clarke proposes is
noTel one, and possesses sufficient merit to
make it worth while to test it by actual expert
ment in some place where the people have
been sufficiently misgoyerned to be ready Tor
any kind Of q change. It proposes to leave the
selectlon Of public officers now elected by ballot
to convention OF electors chosen By lot. II.
for instance, Mayor is to be chosen, let reeis-
tration Of all the voters be made, and from their
names let certain number be drawn, just IS
jury is drawn, and let these persons meet forth
with and designate the Mayor,-service on the
Board Of Electors to DO compulsory. The
chances Of chicanary, or bribery, wou1d be re-
duced to d minimum, election frauds would be
entirely dispensed With, and the presumption is
that the electors so chosen would have no
motive but that of occurring wise, capable, and
disinterested officer
Several objections to the plan arc noticed and
answered by Mr. Clarke but there ia one Of !
considerable Importance which has escaped him. !
One OF the ends Of representative government |
is to mike the individual citizen responsible tor
bis government, and to educate him in the /
science OF government by repeated collision |
With facts, Just as the Almighty educates the |
human race generally. Mr. Clarke may reply that
collision with facts, such as TWeedism in New !
York, and Pomeroyism in Kansas, has
educated us to discard the system
1nder which they we're possible; but it does not
appear to us that remitting the choice of public
'fficers to haphazard, SO far IS the great mass
II the people are concerned, is likely to educate
hem to peform the duties Of citizens. And no
hink that this education, imperfect and even
as it sometimes is, ought not to be
brown away. It appears to rs, also, that the
moral effect Of laws, aud OF thei1 administration,
s very much heightened by the belief that they
re enacted and administered by the majority Of
be people, even though this belief may not
lways be well founded. Could any such
1orl force be secured for laws and officers OBJ
ained through the instrumentality Of chance
[eyertheless, We think it would be well if Mr.
1arke's plan could be tried on small scale in 1
7me place where the majority of voters should ,
Kpicitly assent to it.