New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-26
GOVERNMENT By TOWN MEETING

GOVERNMENT By TOWN MEETING.
Recent political events have directed fresh
attention to the evils of machine politics, with
out, it must be said, evolving thus far any
new and practical remedy. The question is a
grave one, the more so because, as time goes
on, we must expect to see political machines
become more indispensable and more cOmpli-
Gated than they are even now and the
inherent difficulties of reform are not
likely to diminish as the system itself grows. An
article in the current Scribner makes a curious
suggestion upon the subject, which is perhaps
of interest as showing what impracticable
measures may be seriously proposed from the
most intelligent sources. This article asks us
to institute system of government, National,
State and local, by town meeting. 1t COM
plains that under the existing system much of
our voting is for men we know nothing about !;
also that there are SO many offices and so many
elections that a professional class has sprung
up to fill the one and conduct the other and
that as q consequence the people have abdi-
Gated their political functions in favor of the
machine politicians. 1t proposes, therefore,
the application of the present system of NOM
mating conventions to the work of elections.
For example, when President is to be elected
the citizens OF each election district, cOmpris-
ing say $50 voters shall meet and by two
thirds vote rather than a majority, for the
sake of greater delibcration, select delegate
to convention of say one hundred such dis
tricts The one hundred delegates shall elect a
Presidential elector, and the electors shall &C
tualy choose the President; the same plan to
be adopted with all elective officers.
The proposition is an interesting type of its
class, and like most of them would play
straight into the hands of the politicians, whom
it is its whole purpose to avoid. The bosses
would think as well now as the fathers of the
Republic did of the idea that a small con-
vention of 300 or 400 men should choose
by direct election the President of the
United States, without any fear of the
subsequent ordeal of popular vote. 1t is
interesting to imagine an application of the
project to the great cities, where not every cii-
zen can perform the simple duty of voting,
with the polls open ten hours to give men of
all occupations the chance to snatch some con-
venient moment in the day. Interesting, also.
to think how, with the two-thiris vote, the
land would be strewn with Albany deadlocI1s
and whitened with the bones of the paItici-
pants.
The evils of machine politics will never be
cured in any such way. The suggestion would
hardly be worthy of so much attention if il
did not stand for n class. The progress of the
time is toward more direct Judgment 10y
the people upon all the final and supreme
events of government The system of Presi-
dental electors is regarded by many as a use
less and cumbrous sham in its present form,
and II Is not likely that a proposition to carry
out the original intention of the trainers of
the Constitution and permit the electors
actually to choose the President, would be
received with any favor. Instead of PROPOSE
tons that the electoral system shall be applied
to the selection OF Governors. MAYORS, Con-
gress'nen, etc, we hear only propositions that
there shall be direct vote even for Prcsi-
dent--that the high court of the people shall
vote straight at the issue. A system of elect
ing public officers which shall deprive us of
the final safeguard of review of the acts of
all men and all parties 10y the people at the
polls would be generally regarded now as n
dangerous one. The campaign OF character,
foul IA it sometimes is, has its uses.
1t leads parties to be careful whom
they nominate, and vulnerable men TO
consider whether it will he safe or agree
able to face the fire. Is it not n mistake to
say that we know nothing of the men for
whom we are voting? A fcrcer light never
blazed than that which beats for four months
upon canultatc Tor the Presidency The
same is true of candidates for almost every
important Office. The license Of campaign
warfare invades every detail of a candidate
life. While it is often true that candidates for
municipal offices, the Legislature and other
minor places, are unknown to the majority of
voters, it is so only, rs IA rule, in the great
cities. 1t is to be regretted, but we cannot
expect Omniscience in our citizens any more
than omnipotence.
We are sure that the best opinion of the
American people would hold that the popular
election is the keystone of our system, as it is
to-day. Relief from some political evils might
come by the lengthening of various official
terms, and from others by making some of the
elective Offices appointive SO that there shall
be fewer campaigns and fewer candidates.
But no system has yet been proposed which
secures such II good average OF results as the
present one. The evils of machine politics
are many, and must be cured but the ma
chine itself is with lis, and is likely to remain