The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-01
VOL. VI.
THE INDisPENsABLK REFoHm.

form, as Mr. Tilden has learned when
hardly suffered, though none can sue
ccssfully question his election. to act
rs president. In the reform persis,-
emily advocated by the STATESMAN as
essential to the existence OF society in
the South, we have ever been met by
the assertion that "the people will
never vote to diminish their own
power" Such was the declaration
made every day in the late Constitu-
tional Convention. But the tide is
turning and there il law of self pres
errati0H that rises superior to the
forces of demagogism, and everywhere,
in recent amendments to State Consti-
tuuons, the rights of the many are
more and more restricted. Recently,
IN New York, the term of service of
the Judiciary has been heightened and
the judges made more independent,
and in several States a judiciary cleo
tive by the people has ceased to exist.
| y reaction against extreme views of
popular government is evidently pro-
gressive and especially in States in
which universal suffrage has resulted
in incalculablc evils and in the creation
| of burdens of taxation which taxpay-
ers cannot tolerate. States, like cities
and counties, have been driven by pol
luted ballot boxes into Reputation or
bankruptcy, while public debts, even
with the assent of creditors, are scaled
and funded at lessened rates of inter
est. Universal suffrage means, at least
in the South, universal bankruptcy,
and if the Federal government were
not at hand to preserve order, chaos
and anarchy would supervene.
AS an original proposition, 1t is said
that municipality whose officials were
chosen byuniversal suffrage would man
age its own pecuniarY affairs with econ
omy and Ediscretion. But experience
shows us that in the large and wealthy
towns the mass of voters are ignorant
and without property, while those who
own property are too busy to be skilled
in the profession of politics, and that
thus the care and management of pc
cuniary interests fall into the hands of
people without means or business ex-
perience. The natural effect of per-
sons without money or commercial
training handling the expenditure of
millions is wild extravaganza and a
waste which does no one any good. In
fact, this effect of the rule of the ig-
! norant is the greatest curse possible to
the working classes. While it robs
the wealthy, it lessons the productive
power of the whole community. An
obvious corrective, if not complete
remedy, for this evil has been often in
dicated-the giving the property-hold
ing classes some check over the eXpend-
iture of public moneys.
To the surprise of many, DSmo-
cratic mayor of New York city, fer the
first time in the history of his party,
suggests this remedy in very mild
form by recommending a fifth member
of the board of apportionment of New
York to be elected by the taxpayers.
The municipal society of New York
goes further and recommends the pas
sage of the following resolution:
"That the Judiciary Committee nro-
mote the passage of law which shall
enable, and provide for, the election
by the taxpayers of cities and villages
of a municipal body which shall have
the authority of determining the
amount of taxes, the salaries, and the
expenditures for the local purposes of
such cities and villages respectively" 5"
Still another bill, to be presented,
provides that the mayor shall ap-
point twelve prominent citizens, tax
payers, to jnin with the heads of de-
partmcnts To settle the rate Of taxation.
The Commission on MumcIpat Reform,
appo,utct by Governor Tillcn, under
the chairmdnship OF Mr.. Evarts, 1t is
believed, will, in their forthcoming
report, recommend some form by
which the taxpayers shall have some
direct control over the expenditure of
moneys, whether in villages, towns, or
cities. Unless the community prefer
unlimited taxation and bankruptcy,
they must resort'to some means of this
nature for the checking OF boundless
waste of property by those who have
none. In the interior portions of this
State, especially in the villages, almost
every voter and politician is a proper
ty-holder and taxpayer. There is in
consequence, as a general rule, econo
my in municipal affairs. When we
come to the larger towns or to the sub
urban villages, We find extravaganza,
waste, and endless profusion, and here
the property-holders are few or busted
in their own affairs, while the great
multitude of voters are landless and
without means.
Let the masses hear that there is a
proposition to build boulevards and
employ laborers, or that large sans
are needed for public works and for
bouuties which shall benefit the work
ing class and under the lead of skill
ful demagogues, they will heap up
taxes to an amount that will burden
property for generation. 1t is true
that the demSgogues usually possess
some properly, but the political infAu-
! rIce-they gam compensates them for
their losses under taxation, and they
are willing to permit the rich to be
fleeced. The height of the absurdity
is seen in our cities, where the dema-
gogues of the ignoront and iirespons.-
Die multitude manage an income equal
to that of many a monarch, and taxa
tioA is stripping the most admirable
commercial centres of advantages, Snd
bringing everything down to stagna-
tion and poverty. A city's govern
ment should represent the tax-payIng
people, and when il comes to borrowing
money, or building avenues, or laying
taxes, or improving docks, or running