New-York tribune., 1875-02-23

rooms Of Congress- and when the tariff bin come out
is the rssut OF the fight II il The medley OF resfric
tons WITCH each has succeeded in making on the other
The tariff Ia nothing but record OF the victories ana
defeats OF the various parties which have been warrDg
in the eommitteeroom. The committee Of ConGfess
those victories and defeats That all II has 10 do.
THE SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS.
There Is another point in which there antihcsis
between n democracy and n constitutional republic
that is what officers to elect and how often to hold
elections. That fear OF one-man power, before men,
toned led general shortening Of the terms OF office.
But find different theories prevailing at different
times Down through the first hall OF this century the
tendency 10 shorten terms Of OH but lately,
particularly during the ast 10 Is years the tendency
has been 10 give longer terms II is reaction against
the former Another idea also error is that of
rendering all Offices after another elective. This
error has not yet been generally recognized and we
have had little Investigation 10 what officers ought to
I've elected for the people DO recognize the fact that
election does not apply to officers at nil Some
officers ought TO be responsible These are Executive
officers and representatives. There other ofcers
ought not 10 be respOnsble-I cay positively and
irresponsible that is independents irresponsible except
in legal process for ms0ehavIOr Under the monarchy
was one OF the great steps Of cvl liberty 10 make ne
judges independent OF the sovereignty-hat is OF the
crown. It is just with tnat want tO make
our judges Independent Of the popular will Then there
rs another large class-our adnlnlstraive officers
They ought not 10 be elected at ALL BY administrative
officers mean heads or bureaus and clerks, or any
working administrative man charged with carrying out
administrative business. Take instance. We elect
town clerk. How do the llcv0 voters OF New Haven
know whether a man is qual fed for town clerk. We
which he state in speech or IN letter That gives
proper basis for voting But how can the voters judge
whether mat ie qualified for treasurer Tnev cannot.
and do not So when the people elect such officers as
treasures or clerks they cannot judge of tner quaea
uons We have got TO face this difficulty in sUme way
or other. The appointing power IN the hands OF the
Executive is the proper means " securing these officers
Cabinet and works well there He is responsible, ana
complaints are made his officers uOI competent
We have Secretary OF the Treasury driven from
the Cabinet because the people did not think he
qualified for the position. II he lad been an elected
obcer, how would We have got bliu QUIT We Try 70
elect loo many administrative officers. That Is one VI
the aults Of our democratic tendency. Tue people
own hands. But they need afraid 10 let the
Executive those officers. The check him s his
fcleDt check. This responsibility is extremely mpOr
tant and covers all danger As long as We nave this
the responsibility and gets Tie best We say Of our
Judges, for Instance that they Gov AS appoint
Supreme Court We sull talA BuchAuau's appoint
ments, and Lineoln's and Grants. Governors
PRIDE Is aroused to get as good al administration ~
p0esibIe,
GUARDS AGAINST RINGS.
The fear is aroused that there will be rings. II the
Governor or Mayor appoint lis treasurer and ad-
ministratvo officers they will form ring. SO itSis
urged Now that is the popular, aud perhaps at first
blush fear; but really 1t not true at all. either
in theory fact II true IN theory because. when
Mayor appoints treasurer he s responsible for that
treasurer himself There is the least pOssbe fear That
he viii enter INTO corrupt bargain They are not ude-
pendent parties entering into an alliance, tut the eupe-
Nor alone held responsible and whatever stealing
is dOus the Mayor elone Will nave 10 beaF tAe whoe
brunt it. The Mayor in such system would not he
under temptation to make ring But BON tAeoretl
caly, and a matter of fact, rings have always been
among elective oceTs WHO nave Deen lndePs ndent OK
one another. Take the case OF Ncw-Ymk TIE Con
troer elected and the Mayor was elected and eae1
could put on the responsibility ana gum on inc
the time when the principal persons III question were
represented standing III rlng, edcA pointing
with his thumb 10 the nexr, saying: " He Old it,"
In thedesire to extend the drect control OF popuAr
majority TO the elect Of officers WHO cannot be prop
quent elections, We kee features Of ihe uGbocr@cy
which stand opposed 10 cOusttu0naliSn. II his, lu
our experience, issued in bad Oicers iied rcspOn-
slulhiy ana corrupt DaIeails' IIe contrary t"oory,
which, IN fact prevails IN the Federal Constitution 10
considerable extent, consists IN longer tern7ot office,
executive appointments Tor judicial aud dumn. sraNe
oijoeIs and high Official responsibility IL Il from
these arrangements tnat We nat eApect puIe ana
efficient government. Frequent elections ia them
serves evil for they out ana tiIttr away tae
Iined With an intricate s. stem Of wald commit es,
caucuses. and conventions, they discourage o political
activity OF The people. We want 10 govern ourselves,
DO not want to give up our whoie umc aud aten-
ton TO the task. We want, really. 10 lntrust TINS
to retain oversight and control OF 'en great ques-
uons OF policy by occasional expreSSions OF puDio
The points now presented may suffice to enable you
discern the principles have designated, IN their
antagonism, democracy aud cOustItuGouhlslD Tue
latter regards government existing Tor the whole na
it has high conception OF the n9lOhj It abhurs
arbitrary power; 1t seeks lmpersonal uethous and
maehDery. Whatever aims TO use tue power o tHe
State behalf Of local. personal, party, or class ends
hostile 10 cOnstitulonaIihm have pOlnted Gus 10 you
tlIs Country, comes ilOn
thaI Is from exaggerated Notion Of "a aht. Iud tn
exaggeT uOtOn VI The power ana riguC Ot te jor
lty.
NEED or POLITICAL VIRTUE.
It necessary to upon attention, however,
IN conclusion, that machinery can he Invented Which
can do away with the need o. public virtue OF do the
work OF political conscience There must be il any, the
best system Of government whcL the Wit OF man can
devise you will have corrnp ion under one theory as
much under another Indeed INC iTeer government
the more purely and directly 10 gives expire siou 10
public opinion, II -. IL cannot
make puonc opinion any purer than II 10.
Some seem To think that political science
ought 10 teach rs what system Of government Will get
good government out of a community oi bad men. T.t
voud be impossible task. Tue only question WAicn
can raised among ourselves and thc question NhICn
marks out the path which our attempts az p0dticGl
reform pursue, is ths Do get esslOn VI
public opinion Which is iair TO the An.rrican com
muBlty, DO we get III our politics TN tx'rtse0u OF
public opinion from which much OF our highest ana best
political principle Ia omitted hiuk mat most people
agree hat POnteal expressions arc below our uDc
opinion. We must Gsk ourselves why thS In so, ana
may hope to make the expressions more IaltD-
ful TO the opinion hope that the history OF sell gov
ernmenC which We have pursued. ana these lew
criticisms have made the existing etate uf things
may have trained To form Opinions III regard TO
these questions, and taught you Jat the heaIIn aud
strength Of free nation lie III the institutions OF cyh
liberty and constitutional OreT, not ia equiy 0r lBo
rule Of the numerical majority.