The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-01-14
Thc Tendency of Politics.
Hon. William A. Wallace in North American

generation have taken the control of govern
mental affairs away from the intelligent rule
of the masses and vested it in power as
yet formative and underlined. Among these
were the civil war, the creation and peculiar
manipulation OF the public debt, RECONSTRUCT
ton outside the constitution, universal negro
suffrage, q plethora of paper money, loose
public morals, enormous growth of private
fortunes, and close connection of the gov
eminent with the banking interest. Each
had its weight in sapping the founda-
tions of government by the MISSES, and in
shaping our course toward u different rule
Whether that rule is to DO suffrage, qualified
and rarf d, or suffrage controlled by the
power Of aggregated wealth monopoly or a
senatorial oligarchy, or hereditary govern
ment, ia beside tho present inquiry, save as
they each and all show distrust Of the peoe
pie, and build their foundations upon uni
versal suffrage, debased, corrupted and domi-
mated.
The tendency toward a so-called stronger
government is Us manifest AS are the causes
that have given ii form. II is in
the nature of things for government
TO grow stronger at the expense
of the governed but The plain proof Of the
existence of this tendency is fOuRd in the
opinions Of the federal judiciary, in federal
legislation over matters heretofore within the
control Of the people of the states, ia the
modes Of execution of those statutes, by
which, local rule, local courts end personal
liberty are overthrow, and in that ramilca-
ton of executive patronage which sends It's
mandates TO the extremi,ies, and Mt will
gathers in single hand enormous Contribu.
tons and INSCRIPTIONS obedience f.om
ninety thousand paid officials. Executive
patronage will bring us to master" A net
work Of oiliceholders bound each TO the
other, welding time and money and power
OF place to pack primaries, dictate nomina-
tons, crush Independent thought and action
and subordinate local control TO thowill Of an
executive who governs in the name of party,
points tho road with unerrng certainty to the
end that Franklin, tho wise man, predicted.
Further guide boards on that road arc seen
in largo donations Of money by corporations,
monopolists and wealthy men to supplement
the power Of tho executive and cary cleo
tons in tho interest Of IN aristocratc elias,
who dislike and distrust the people;
in the domination of employee by
employer; in tho marked ballot; in the
third-term candidacy and pilgrimage on the
stump in the national and labor orgsniZa-
tions, which are but over-zeaous protests
against this tendency and in that 'ill.con.
ceaed demand for energetic government
which has been the fundamental thought
OF the opponents Of democracy since the
days of John Adams.
The issues of 1899 and 1900 again confront
the people. The theories of that day are again
to struggle for the mastery, The government
OF the republic is slroady centralized. The
canvass of 1880 teaches this. Tho federal
executive has been felt from the ward caucus
to the vaults of the treasury; from tho pri-
mary to the presidential election. A high
federal official quits his place to take nom
nation for governor of the pivotal state, and
nj once the executive arm is extended TO his
support. Marshals, detectives collectors,
secretaries, and all else that was needed. To-
cate themselves within the state, and its
suffrage is debauched. and its undoubled will
reversed. A suffrage first debased, then cor
rupted, !hon obedient, is contradiction ia its
worst form This is but one means to tho end
sought Tho mission of the democratic party
Is dc Capitalization. Its duty is to restore
the government of the republic to the intel
ligent rule Of tho masses of the people. 1t
must teach and practice the doctrines Of lis
illustrious founder. 1t must appeal to The
people themselves in their own interes. IL
must preach the Csernal truth that tho ludi-
yidual citizen is tho unit in government,
from whom proceeds all power, ia whom ia
vested all rights ave those which are granted
by him for tho good of the whole. The
people at the base, the states and the federal
government each supreme within its sphere,
is the system to which it looks for liberty,
and 1t must teach that he who
looks TO paternal government, 10 cen.
tralizston or to empire, looks to despotism.
Care for and perfect the government and il
will protect the liberties of the people, was
the thought of Hamilton. Give Intelligence
and information 10 the people, teach them
that 1t Is their government, and their interest
to preserve law and order, was the thought
OF Jefferson Psternal government and yigor
in the federal head on the one hand informa-
ton TO the masses aud energy from the OK.
tremities on tho other. The former gave tho
republic alien and sedition laws direct
taxation, federal marshals and Gem
tralized rule in 1899. The latter
swept these out of existence In
1900; carried us successfully through two
foreign wars; acquired an empire of territory
and governed the country for sixty wears.
We must choose between these two now. Tho
democracy must again plant itself upon the
axiom, "dovernments are made for men. no,
men for governments IL must strike with
mailed hand the tendency to strong govern
ment. 1t must be true TO the peope and sp.
gressiye in its fealty. Dominated labor must
be taught its rights and its interests.