The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-04-29
A STRONG GOVERNMENT.

1t Is rather Interesting 10 compare inc
influences which are modifying the Unit
ed States government and that Of Great
Britain and Ireland. The trainers of the
constitution, or rather those whose inter-
probation of it gave it an effect hardly
contemplated by the people who adopted
il, looked upon the British government
as model the excellence of which could
scarcely be surpassed. The British con-
stitution, which is an aggregated incor-
poration of experiences, has, for the last
century and more, been yearly adding to
the authority of the people and lessening
that of the crown. The advancement in
government has kept pace with the intel
hgence of the people. From despotism
Great Britain by easy gradations has be-
come republic, for that it is to-day IN
all except name. There has been a phil
osophic development. splendid example
of social evolution. Society as repre-
sented by government has not outrun or
Jagged behind the progress of the indi-
vidual. The crown has been shorn of its
power until now it Is simply a symbol of
government, tangible representative Of
an idea.
The conservatives under Disraeh's lea
dership sought to increase the influence
of the crown in governmental matters.
They wanted 10 make the queen in fact
as well as in seeming the govern nent. 1t
was an attempted return to the govern
ment of the time when the people did not
have sufficient intelligence to govern
themselves. 1t was practically an attempt
to nullify the results of the revolution
which the logic of events brought about
in the government. The liberals are the
democrats OF Great Britain. They want
the powers of the government to be de
rived directly from the people and not
from the will of any one person. They
are opposed to Capitalization of power
unless that contradiction is in the people.
The tendency of Gbernl ideas is toward
pure democracy when the intelligence
of the people will warrant.
The home-rulers are liberals, differing
only ID this particular: The liberals love
England more than they do the empire.
They dread home government for Ire
land or Scotland because it may be the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the British Empire or
lessen the influence of England in the
management of the affairs of the empire.
They do not deny that ireland and Scot
land would be better governed in their
local matters with a home government
and federative union. But it is a dan
gerous experiment and Ireland cannot be
trusted. Besides if home government
were granted the Irish people no power
could deprive them of it. Thus selfish
ness prevents the liberals from going as
far toward the diffusion of power as the
home rulers do.
In the United States. 1.-The tendency OF
the party in power is to govern the states
from Washington. Thus we are travel
ing backward to despotism, a monarchy
in all but name. We are receding to
| advancing. The only ground on wmcn
Capitalization of power can be justified is
that the people are not sufficiently intel
ligent to manage their own local affairs.
The people stand nearer to the state leg.
islature than they do to congress. To
limit the power of the states and increase
that of the general government is to re.
move the power from the people. Ma
tlonal elections are not as frequent as
state elections. .. S. senators are not
chosen by the people, and are represent
atlves of states rather than of the people.
The people of a state have but very few
representatives in the national legisla-
ture. How can that legislature manage
the affairs of that state as well as can its
own local Legislature?
The experience of Great Britain should
teach the United States that centraliza-
ton Is retrogression. Governments are
a necessary evil. Among an ideal perfect
people governments are not needed.
Peoples vices make them necessary. The
stronger the vices the stronger the gov
eminent should be. The intelligence of
g people should determine the strength
of the government, from a. despotism for
barbarians to pure democracy for philos-
ophers.