The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-11
An Instructive Omission.

MIR. FRANCIS PARKMAN. rich, well-edu-
Gated and distinguished citizen Of Boston, has
long article in the last number Of the North
American Rerieir, In which he expresses the
opinion that universal suffrage has brought
upon us many and dire evils, and threatens
us with still worse ones, unless the better
part of the community Is able to outweigh
the worse" He therefore urges young men
of education and fortunate circumstances
to get over their distaste for politics and in
difference TO political affairs, and to bend all
their energies to ofisetting the mischevous
teachings OF demagogues and enlightening
the minds OF the majority OF the voters.
Like some other men OF elegant leisure,
whose political sympathies donot reach very
far, Mr.. PARKMAN undertakes the honesty
and Intelligence OF the people who are not so
finely educated as he, and who have not en-
! joyed the same advantages OF literary cul-
tivaton. This Is one reason why he takes
SO gloomy view OF the results of universal
suffrage. The whole experience Of tho re-
public however shows that the common
people are just as likely-and even more
soto vote wisely as those who are
better placed. SO far as the comforts and
refnements OF life are concerned. They are,
moreover, citizens who prize the priv
| ilege OF the franchise and do not neglect to
avail themselves Of it because they are too
lazy to go to the polls or are cayeless about
political affairs They do not despair Of the
republic nor yearn for "strong govern
ment," after the Old World fashion. As a
rule, in all our history, the majority OF them
have been found voting on the right side.
h.
as clear and true as those OF their more
pretentlous nelghbors, and they have not
been less patriotic and unselish to say the
least. Moreover, they are not SO easily
fooled as Mr.. PARKMAN imagines.
But we applaud his effort 10 arouse young
men Of education to take a greater interest
in politics. II "none but they can grapple
with the complicated mischefs of our poll
tics" then let them at once enter the arena
and strip for the tussle. They will not lack
comrades il they show themselves men of
sense and not mere amateurs and after they
have had some experience with the people
they will probably think better Of them than
they do now, and talk less in their clubs
about She failure OF universal suffrage.
But what is most remarkable about Mr.
PARKMAN is that in his review of the politi-
! cal evils which alllct the country and
threaten its stability, he should have
omitted to denounce and stigmatize as It
deserves the unparalleled Fraud by which
corrupt politicians defeated the will OF the
majority, and struggled into the Presidency
a man the people had rejected at the polls
| That was n real and not an imagined failure
of universal suffrage. for the minority was
! able to steal what belonged to the majority
aud to usurp tho control of the Govern
ment. Yet Mr.. PARKMAN does not deem
IL necessary to arouse the young men u
whom hc appeals to conception OF that
crime! He grows despondent over the
municipal corruptions OF New YORK
OF comparatively little account, and long
since vigorously corrected, but he Is not
stirred to any Indignation by the for
gcres-and bargains through which HAYES
got the electoral votes Of Florida and Louis
lana He expects to quicken the political
conscience Of the country, and yet his owl
| highly educated conscience regards the
worst Of Frauds with refined and gentle com
plncency! He bemonns the ignorance and
sOttlshness OF the mass of voters, and yet his
his accepting, without protest, the results
Of conspiracy, forgery, perjury, and Fraud
II we must take Mr.. PARKNAN ms q repre-
sentative Of the cultivated class OF which
he speaks then that class stands wofuly In
need OF moral awakening as well as OF pollti-