Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1879-09-26
AMERICAN EI,ScTIoEs.

in this country are really what
they pretend to be. They pro-
fess to be an expression of the
will of the people in the choice
of their public servants. They
do not, however, reflect that
will completely, or nearly so, in
any instance. The people, do
indeed, vote for and elect to
Office, those candidates who
poll a majority of the ballots
cast; but even that election is
not unfrequently reversed and
! defeated in favor of candidates
who poll only minority Of le-
gal votes. The last presidential
election was a notable illustra-
ton of this TACT, and inferior
elections, local or otherwise
equally attest it.
"Why is this thus ?" The
principle of selfgovernment
means popular suffrage, is quite
right according to our Ameri-
can ideas of political liberty
regulated by law. But our
methods and practice in carry
ing out that principle, are all
wrong. They practically annul
the theory which they are en-
ployed to enforce. This may
be inevitable, but it is ncverthc-
less true. 1t may be necessari-
ly incidental to the imperfec-
ton of human nature and the
consequen, abuse of all human
institutions for the welfare of
society. The principle of self
government and free ballot has
induced the mass Of the people
to actually believe that they Sc
lected and elected their officials;
in this, in a large majority of
instances they are most eyre
giously mistaken; they do no
such thing; it is purely case
of Imagination, and vivid mag
nation at that. The people
themselves have nothing to do
with it except to vote. They
are simply as clay in the hands
of the potter, in their crude
state they are a shapeless mass
ready to be moulded into any
shape. The politicians are the
potters and they handle the
people to suit their own con-
veniences and mould them into
the shape desired. In how many
county elections in Texas do
the people as a mass have any
thing to do with the selection of
their county officials. One par
ty is generally dominant and as
a general thing the party lead
ers get together and make out
slate long before the election;
the people know nothing about
it, are not consulted and have
nothing to do with it. In due |
time primary meetings are held |
and delegates are duly elected |
to the convention or mass-meet- |
ing; the delegates are brought
forward by the wire-workers or
politicians, in some instances
they are not, but as a general
thing it is safe to say that it is
known on the inside how the
delegate stands and what the
chances are of his doing certain
things or voting a certain way.
The usual prelininaries having
been gone through with a tick
ct is duly presented; both par
ties do the same thing, and all
the voter has to do is to 60 to
The polls and exercise the pre-
of an American free
for the men selected
oy the politicians for him to
vote for.
That the foregoing is the way
the thing" is done is, we think,
IS plain as the MONDAY sun,
10 one can deny it and no one
Individually is to blame for it;
he blame is with the people
themselves as a people and not
IS individuals. An exchange
ays: II
Under such a system, what
lse can reasonably be expec-
ed, but. a government of
'olitnians2 They and not
he people. really govern, |
hough they govern in the name f
f the people. They, the poll a
icians, enjoy the substance of |
ominioh, while the people are
heated with the shadow. Peo-
lie are divided into parties; r
arties require leaders; leaders T
rganize and direct their forces S
luch the same as military a
Movements are conducted; the
blowers surrendering all indi- !,
dual independence and con. 4
incapable of any other t,
irection, obey their leaders Il
it'll slavish subservience; and II
D matter what false doctrines >,
re avowed or what bad men