The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-03-03
PARTY GOVERNMENT.

than they are at present.
As parties are now organized and op-
Grated, their application of the principle
Of majority rule, vigorously excludes
from participation in great public affairs
all men, however able and worthy, who
do not believe in the political faith of the
dominant party. Minorities in state, and
in more extensive areas Of the whole
country, aggregating millions of voters,
are thereby denied fair and adequate
representation in Che general government.
Administrations become the mere agen-
cies of parties; and individuals who have
the capacity to become statesmen, and
who desire to enter public life, must re-
main in comparative obscurity if they
hold the views of the minority. Should
their love for public distinction be great
er than their adherence to political con-
victions, they sacrifice their principles on
the altar of their ambition.
The late Senator Carpenter died with
public ''honors thick upon him." He
won high reputation as an orator and q
statesman: but he reached eminence by
abandoning the political faith which he
had proclaimed and defended during the
greater portion Of his life. We cannot
think Of his fame without contemplating
his recreancy, as well, for the latter open
ed the way to the achievement of the for
mer; the one was largely consequence
Of the other.
Mr.. Carpenter was democrat before
the civil war, and during that war. He
is said to have supported Gen. Mcclellan
for the Presidency. Being of humble
origin, of kindly and generous nature,
and man of large heart, he was strongly
in sympathy with the masses Of the peo-
pie. He was not inclined to look down
on the poor and lowly, nor to look up to
the rich and powerful; and his death
caused quite as much sincere sorrow at
the hearths of the humble as it did in the
palaces of the wealthy. He was not con-
spicuous as an advocate of the legislation
sought by monopoIies and corporations
whose growth and greed are giving the
nation concern; and his friends claim that,
il his health had not failed, he would
have brought forward measures nalculat-
and right of control over those inter- SITS.
In senatorial debate upon constitutional
questions, he often spoke as a lawyer and
a statesman, rather than as q partisan, and
at such times he favored the democratic
doctrine Of strict construction. AS q sen
ator ne had the independence to denounct
the iniquities of carpet bag government
in Louisiana, and to condemn the unius
Law which prescribed the mode of obtain
ing Jurors in federal courts, and which
was enacted by the republican party. Al
lawyer, ne had the manhood and pro
fossional spirit to appear before the elec
toral commission, and argue eloquent,
against the Preparation of that colossa
fraud which temporarily desfranchiset
the voters of the nation, made popula
elections q moclery, and seemed to trans
form the Goddess Of Justice into a de
graded and shameless hariot who brazen
" bartered her faYors and smiled at he
own infamy.
Although Mr.. Carpenter was by natur,
and political education a democrat, anC
many Of his words and deeds even in hi:
later years were consistent with his ma
ture, he was, il those years, known as
republican; because it was only by wear
ing that name, missioner though it NAY
have been, that nc could win the lofty
and honorable title Of a Senator of Tia,
United States. Without intending t,
cast reproach upon the character of tht
dead Senator, we still believe that if til,
democracy of Wisconsin had been able t.
confer .ha coveted title which was til
off. OF the republicans of our state, o.
had the democratic party not lost contro
Of the general government, and there
with the disposal Of cabinet positions
Mr. Carpenter might have died, IS he ha(
so long lived, democrat il fact and il
name. Ii the senatorial prize could NOV,
Madison to leave the federaIists, and con
vert Webster from free-trade to protec
ton, It's seductive power over brilliant,
facie and ambitious men cannot be de-
MED.
But if the best interests of government
are promoted by the existence of oppos
ing political parties, those interests vii
be best served when the parties are a
the highest state of efficiency; and that
state can be reached by a minority party
only when it is able to call its ablest mer
j into public service. Under our system
of government as it is now administered
minorities can bestow few or no import
ant positions, and able men are unwil
ing to be called to inferior places. al
the presidential election of 1876, there
were cast a quarter of a million more
democratic than republican votes. In the
last election, the popular vote was about
evenly DIVIDED. 9at, during the last -four
years, the democrats have had no more
to 10 with the administrative offices Of
the general government than if they we're
aliens; snd no change IN this respect can
be expected under the next administers
tion. This condition of affairs, which
debars nearly or quite one half the PEG
pie of the nation from ali part il the ex-
ecution Of its Laws, Is not cause OF com.