The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-03-20
ONE-MAN POWER.

ONE-M "A N FOW Elk.
Much is said-and very properly-in
regard to the growing tendency to GEN.
tralization in the administration of nation
al affairs; yet one of the most important
features of this tendency is rarely men,
toned, and certainly does not receive the
attention it deserves. Political power is
slowly but surely passing from the many
to the few; from the hands of the people
into the hands of selfappoirted leaders. If
the few used this power in behalf of the
many; if the leaders simply represented
the will and worked in the interests of
the people, there would be no special
cause for anxiety. But when it is a noto
rious fact that the popular loss is not bal
anced by any popular gain, and that those
who have usurped,authority generally EN-
ploy it for their own selfish purposes, the
change going on under our eyes is full of
deepest meaning.
The Republican party furnishes far
more and better illustrations of this phase
of Capitalization than the Democratic, and
recent events have given them unusual
prominence. Until Simon Cameron ab-
dicated in favor of his son, he was practi-
cally the autocrat of Pennsylvania Repub-
licans, and that autocIacy has been trans
mitted to the heir apparent with. vastly
more ease and certainty than will accom-
pany the transmission of Russian sover-
eighty from the Gar to the CZarewitch.
| When Cameron senior became tired of
senatorial honors, he ordered Republi-
can legislation to elect Cameron Junior,
and the order was obeyed without hesita
ton or delay. Nobody seemed to think
of disobedience. and certainly nobody at
tempted it. The sceptre was promptly
passed over, and has been vigorously used
ever since. When the managers of the
third term movement wanted to secure the
Pennsylvania delegation in the Chicago
convention, they did not trouble them
selves to inquire whether the Pennsylva
MIA Republicans favored that movement
They simply enlisted the services of Don
Cameron, who owned sufficient number
of the Pennsylvania Republicans to call
state convention at the time best suited to
third term purposes, packed it with his |
| retainers, rode over. rode down the mi
nority, and ''fxed" the delegation for
Grant. The business could not have been
more neatly and expeditiously done if the
majority had beenIhis hereditary bondmen.
1t was not the Pennsylvania Republicans
who gave the voice of that great COM
monwealth for Grant, but Don Cameron.
That one man was as much the master of
the multitude as if he were their born
king. ....f. =. s...-r-
What Cameron is in Pennsylvania, Conk- |
ling is in New York. Probably not five |
thousand Republicans there wanted Cor |
nell for governor. But Conkling wanted !
him and that was sufficient. The conven-
ton met, received the masters instructions
and obeyed them. The timid protests of
the 'sscratchers" only Emphasized the |
sweeping victory of the omnipotent chief.
Probably not ten thousand Republicans in
New York favor the third term. But
Conk1ing favors it and that was sufficient.
Again the convention met, received the
masters instructions and obeyed them. 1t
was not the New York Republicans who
gave the voice of the first state in the I'm
ion for Grant, but Roscoe Conkling. That
one man was as much the master of the
multitude as if he were their born king.
Indeed, no monarch in Europe, outside of
Russia, is as absolute in political matters
as Cameron and Conkling; and Beacons-
fields hold upon the English Conserva-
tives is weak compared with the grip of
thesei two senator's in their respective
States.
We might notice the position of Blaine
in Maine, Edmunds in Vermont, Logan in
Illinois, and, until his death, Chandler in
Michigan; but the illustrations already
presented are sufficient to point our moral
When, under popular form of govern
ment, the one-man power can be thus
developed, consolidated and utilized, it
shows that the people are either losing
their interest in public affairs, or that they
wilfully neglect their most solemn duties
The founders OF the government intended
to establish republic, not an oligarchy.
They never imagined there could be such
condition Of things in this country as the
despotic supremacy of CameIo and
Conkfing indicates. They never sup
posed the will of the people would be
expressed by the "machine," and the
destinies of the people moulded
by single individuals to suit the de-
mands of individual ambition. They hop
ed and believed the people would govern
themselves and not abandon government
to professional politicians. Such perform
ances as those at Harrisburg and SYRIA
cuse were not even dreamed of by the
| men who achieved our liberties and plant
ed them upon what they fancied was
| firm foundation. The Capitalization of
power at Washington is not half so dan
gerous to public freedom as the virtual
surrender of states to the domination of
partisan leaders. The former attacks the
trunk of the tree; the latter rots its roots.
Exchange.
| There are twenty. four smear. crrox,,;ror