Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-05-11
POLITICAL.

sonal liberty, religious freedom, and legal
protection in all lawful pursuits. The first
two are natural rights, while the latter is
a conventional one,-deriving its whole
force from a condition Of organized so
ciety, known as government The nucleus
Of nation is regulated power. Every
thing else that is essential clusters around
this one central element, in the order
ri its relative importance as constituent
part Of the whole, and thus the structure
becomes complete,-a formulated express
sion Of the public will. Theoretically this
constitutes the government under which
VIC live and it implies full performance
Of individual duty. Each man is the peer
of every Understanding with all equally
the privileges and the responsibilities Of
citizenship. 1t is thus that we develop
the idea ofpertection in civil government
and claim for our own, that it is the hest
in the world. THIS is legitimate conclu.
sion If the premises are tenable, and they
are. If in the practical conduct Of affairs
we do not realize this exalted ideal, the
fault must be attributed to the manage
ment, rather than to the system,-to the
details Ut administration and not to the
structure. The universal murmuring Of
the people not less than the actual discov-
cry Of corruption is proof positive that
some error has been committed outside of
the ranks of those who hold Office, and it
requires but little examination to discover
the source Of the difficulty. The people
have neglected to perform their duty.
That is the cause of the whole trouble.
The work of selecting candidates for pub
lie Offices has been relegated almost en-
tirely to the few who are interested not SO
much for the public as for themselves
TO men who are actuated by mercenary
motives and hence not qualified to choose
dispassionately, nor to administer honest.
~. 1t is common today to characterize
certain men as politicians" to distin.
guish them from others who manifest no
interest in political matters. The exist.
cnce of this distinction renders corrup.
ton possible,-nay induces it. Every citi.
zen of this Republic should be politician
in the sense of actually interesting him.
self in public affairs, then it would be i'm
possible for mere Office seekers to obtrudc
themselves into places. for the occupancy
of which they are fitted neither by char.
scter nor by attainment If the people of
this nation would correct existing abuses,
secure the best talent and the greatest eff.
fciency in Office, reduce the burdens and
enhance the blessings Of government, con.
tribute to the permanancy of our institu-
tons, and to the perpetuity of civil liber-
ty, they must 80 back TO the sources, to
the original springs from whence all these
things emanate,-THE PRIMARY MEETINGS
OF POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS. The Presi-
dent, the Congress Of the United States
and Ill the other principal officers Of the
Nation are made at the CAUCUSES. If
but few are there that few have pur-
pose in being there which is not in har.
mony with the public interest, and THEY
WILL WORK FOR THEMSELVES. We are
about to select candidate for the highest
and most important Office in the gift of
the American people. Shall that selec.
ton be the work Of the rank and lile of
the party, or Of only few selfconstituted
leaders: 1t is safe to entrust the care of
this nation to the people. Their hearts
are right aud their minds are pure. If
they will accept the responsibility and per.
form The duties which 1t devolves,-leav-
ing nothing undone which they feel to be
essential, they will purify the public ser
vice, elevate the standard Of public morals
secure the blessings of government at .
reasonable cost, and exemplify to the
world . system of practice in entire &C.
cord with the theory Of our constitution
aud the genius of our laws. To do this
We must place in the executive chair .
man who is . model Of integrity and abili.
ty,-one whom the people know and in
whom they cop1ds. II the aggregate
memhcsship Of the party, (as many as will
80 to The polls next NovemberD will 1t.
tend The primary meetings, the selection
ofanY other man will be an utter impos-
sibility. H..