Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-06-30
NO. 50

meant by these simple words, pHbli'
trust, and act accordingly, to what al
exalted plane would our whole sys
! tenn of politics be elevated2 In tn,
whole range of the science of the Law
there is no branch that exhibits the
ethics of the law with more complete
ness than that which relates tC
trusts. 1t requires knowledge o
the duty to be performed, skill in the
performance of the duty, and the strict
est observance of every obligation i'm
posed by the trust, with no advantage
or gain to be derived by the trustee, to
the detriment of the ceStui que trust
and in no department of the law is the
judge more rigid in his investigations
than in those which relate to trusts
If, then, the law attaches such i'm.
portance to private trusts, and erects
such high standard of duty should
not the same rules apply when things
are to be dealt with which affect great
masses of people? If there is any diff
ference at all, it should be in regard to
public trusts, because of the greater
interests involved, and the greater
number of people affected.
Yet, how is it in regard to these
conventions? Instead of body of
men meeting and celebrating and
endeavoring to ascertain the greatest
need of the party, they take but little
time for a comparison of views, and
generally. in q very summary way,
carry out the plans of few persons
who have skillfully arranged the
whole programme in advance FIRE.
quently caucus is held by the friends
of the strongest candidate for an Office
This caucus, governed by a majority
Of its members, gives the law to the
convention, and thus it is that few
men, by successfully manipulating the
caucus, actually control the conven-
tion. Then follows series of usurpa-
tions.
Delegates are prohibited from dis
charging the duty devolved upon
them; the gag is applied in suppress
sing debate upon resolutions; the
rights of the people are taken away
by the convention assuming the power
to appoint delegates to National Con-
vention; and then the unit rule, that
most shameless piece of tyranny that
was ever devised in free government
is enacted, by which the agents of the
people, who ought to and shou have
the right to express the voice of their
constituents, are passed, and not only
prevented from expressing the wishes
OF their constituents, but are forced
into an expression directly opposite to
that will. SO that, first, the people
are deprived of their right to choose
their delegates; then the delegates are
deprived of their right to vote as they
see fit and in addition are compelled
to vote against their own convictions
of right, and instead of delegates act
ing as independent men, with the
right to express their sentiments, un-
der a sense of responsibility to their
constituents, they are compelledto to serve
as the tools of other parties, with no
right to vote but only to be voted by
somebody else That is representa-
tive government on grand scale
That is freedom of thought and action
with vengeance Calculated to
make the American eagle give an cx-
ira flap to its wings, as it floats ma
jestically cover the land of the free
and the home of the brave"
1.-THE MACHINE"
Next we are confronted with another
evil connected with our system of poll
tics, about which you have all heard,
and of which great deal has recently
been said. 1t is known as the machine.
In regard to this precious contrivance,
neither party can make claim to any
over its rival, for each is the
possessor of it, and each to a very
great extent under its dominion and
control What, then, is the machine ?
Its friends claim for it that it is simply
an organization designed for the bene-
fit of the party and best calculated to
insure its success. If it were simply
this it would not be liable to criticism,
but would be a necessary and proper
aid to the advancement of party inter
ests, and would merit the appreciation
of all right thinking people But the
machine is more than this, and, [ may
add, infinitely worse than this; for in
stead of being simply an organization
for good of party, it is combination
of men who look to party success, not
so much as means of furthering and
out great political principles
and policies, as to secure for them
selves place and power 1t is well-dis-
ciplined and thoroughly-organized
body of men, who act together for the
exclusion of others from Office and their
own retention of the same, and the di-
vision of the spoils of Office among
themselves. Every machine has the re-
guisite number of cogs, wheels, pulleys
and all the necessary parts and parcels,
and any more would be out of place
and interfere with its working order;
and hence it is that the men, big and
little, who make up oil the parts and
parcels of the machine are opposed to
any further accession to it, for any ad-
1ition to it would interfere with them
selves.
"sTAND FROM UNDER"
1t watchword being success, not
only of the party, but of the machine,
everybody who stands in its way is
as remorselessly as
Modoc Indian would slay his captive.
1t is the American car of Juggernaut,
under which all the young manhood
of the country is crushed, because to
obey its behests and follow its courses
is to sink all independence of thought
md action. 1t is a conspiracy on
arge scale, having for its purpose the
grasp and control of Office for its men,
bers, and the exclusion of others there
from. To get Office is lawful object,
but to get it in an unlawful manner by