National Republican., 1881-09-09
Population Of The National Capital. 100000.
n Reform that Requires Reforming.

The rights with which our Great Char
ter declares every man to have been
equally endowed at birth by his Creator,
and tomaintain which governments were
instituted among men, are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness The fun
damcntal principle contained in this is
denial of the right of few, whether
self-chosen or otherwise selected, to de-
termine what is best for a whole commu-
nifty. 1t was political creed formed in
hostility to the claim setup in behalf ofa
privileged class, claiming to be noble, that
government should he left to a few who
by reason of their wealth had acquired
superior education and could command
their time. The nobiites had claimed to
have worked out all problems of freedom
thus far solved, and it was claimed in
their behalf that noblemen must be re-
lied on for all future good
The nobility agreed thatal governments
must largely derive their powers from the
consent of the governed. But Jefferson
said more. lie contended that all gov
ernments derived their Just powers from
the consent of the governed. This was
equivalent to saying that not only had
each man an original and inalienable
right to an equal share in the govern
ment, but it was an aTaignmcnt, for in
justice, of any government which should
exercise powers upon any other authority
than the will or consent of the body of
the people.
The signers ofthe Declaration of In
dependence were not an excited and
tumultuous assemblage, obeying the
magnetic command of an enthusias-
tic leader; they were duly-chosen
representative body of Americans,
thoughtfully endeavoring to lay the
basis for Republic in which
each citizen should be equally Interested
with every other, and si,ouid protect that
interest witArone vote. The instrument
30 signed was the proclamation of the
- reasons which were to be presented to
the judgment of mankind in justification
of the war of the Revolution. The Par
lament of Great Britain and the British
King were kindly giving portion of
their leisure time to the affairs of the
Colonies, and their education was on the
average, no doubt, greatly superior to that
of the bronzed farmers who met their
forces at Lexington and Concord. The
1eveling doctrines of the Declaration
finally prevailed after long war; and the
respite from the rule of :" the better class"
of society.
The disease then supposed to have been
eradicated has again broken out. Again
few are quite ready to supply the void
left by the violent elimination of privi-
legged classes from the dictatorship of So
ciety. The consent of the governed"
Say these gentry, is not as secure a found
alton as the intelligence of the few who
can command their time The volunteers
who are so ready to relieve the over
worked people Of the cares of govern
ment, and to save them from the mistakes
which more cultured persons would of
course avoid, delight TO call themselves
civil-service relormers, sometimes vary
ing it 10 such phrases as "the scholars"
or "the gentlemen" or "the business
element" or the better class of citizens"
OF all these phrases the last has until
lately been the most offensive. But Il
most fascinating writer in the July num-
Der of the North american ReUicT, who
i'll uminates by his genius the most trivial
subject he chooses to treat upon, in an ar
ticle on "The Power of Public Plumber"
launches out into frank avowal of a
scheme for a new aristocracy We had
never been told before, even by Carl
Schurz or George w. Curtis, exactly what
was intended to be conveyed by the
phrase better class" Mr. Parton sup
plies the missing link, and alters power
ful and generally correct diagnosis of the
national diseases generated by the power
ofpublic plumber, such rs legislative cor
ruption and littleness in the interest OF
great corporations and small place
hunters, he prescribcs remedy
which, if applied would give us
the irritating tyranny of petty upstart
nobility without the obligations which
an hereditary nobility imposes, lie is
ofcourse, alone responsible for his essay
but its pernicious principles have long
been propagated in less honest and direct
phrase by the self-styled reformers wht
dazzle college boys, blue-stockings, and
unsophisticated men with the rhetoric
in which they disguise their longings fol
political sway. He mOurns over the de
generacy of the times as shown by the
low condition of the public service and
the ever-growing influence of corpora
tions. And then-oh lame and impotent
conclusion he finds "that the prelim
nary step toward the development Of thC
art OF popular government is To take tho
public business out Of politics"
When we dismiss mere sounds and con
suit sense we find that politics is the sci
ence or art of government, and that tn,
only public business to be transacted
the government of the country, which
consists in enacting, constituting, and exc
cutting the laws. Mr.. Parton's class il
government will become very dull if it j
the men who frame laws, collect revC
nue., preserve order, and manage tn
public property, defenses, and mails
Politics and the government of a cOuntr
being synonymous terms, the public bus
ness must need be taken out of govern
ment itself if we would, as Mr.. Parto
urges, take it "out of politics."
But, passing from the preliminary ste
named, we come to the means by whic
relief is to come for all political ills.
nobility is to be improyised. 1t is to b
composed wholly of gentlemen of elegan