The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-21
GREATER INpErENpENcE WANTED.

GREATER INDEPENDENCE WANTED.
II there is any country in the world
where fearless. patriotic and Intelligent leg
islation Is necessary ii is above all others in
the Unilei States. The right and oppor-
luniiy to approach, petition and influence
legislators individually and collectively are
presented and taken advantage OF here to n
greater extent than anywhere else in the
world, and our statutes are therefore the
results OF more figuring and lobbying and
conglomerations of more opinions and in
Auenoes, perhaps, than those OF any other
country. The trouble arises from mis-
taken idea Of the extent and Importance oil
the power urging action in any given Ill
recton. The chosen of the people
feels that he cannot act unless IN
direction supposed to be popu-
lar with his constituency, ana
enters the legislative halls virtually handi-
capped by his fear OF the vox populi. lie
forgets that he has been selected as u free
will agent, with authority to act as lac
thinks best IN the manner most con-
duciye to the good OF the
people at large. He iorgets seem
ingly that there is higher law than popu-
lar caprice. the principles OF right and JUS
tice, and AS consequence, when he has
failed to find the beat of the popular pulse
at home with reference to any question Of
Importance, the average legislator is gener-
ally found mot voting" or "absent' in the
final determination OF such matters. There
is wanting that adherence to a broad, intel
ligcnt aud patriotic standard of statesman
ship bounded only by the representatives.
ideas of right and justice that We look for
and long for in public councils, but
see 80 little Of "What will the
people think? or what will the
people say' are the only stand
ards, 1t is astonishing to take up the
records of our own and other legislatures
and note the want of courage, OF conviction
and action that characteri2es so large II
proportion of our legislators, as evidenced
by the "absentees" and "not voting in
the calls upon important matters, III one
case and the Difference and advocacy, III
another. that are given TO questions backed
in the commtte-rooms by memorials and
petitions. If the peoples views are not
known their representative will have moth
ing TO do with the measure. II it is sup
posed that the people have spoken the rep
resentative is all enthusiasm. Whatever
the masses demand, law or no law, reason
or no reason, justice and the constitution,
or the reverse, the masses must
have, think these trimmers and dema-
gogues. To the thinking, honest element
Of society, the men with convictions, such
conduct is extremely nauseating. In the
first place, il betrays degree of Ignorance
that is astonishing. The people as such
never speak, or, at least, only at rare inter
vals and then at the ballot-box. All the
fuss and furore that the trembling dema-
gogue imagines is raised by the vox populi
is the cant, the clamor, and the lanaticism
of noisy few, who are interested, person
ally or indirectly, in the determination OF
the matter about which they are 80 keen TO
make row. The great majority, the
people truly, are always quiet, and if they
have any confidence in the ability and
honesty of their representatives, ARE con
tent if he does what is to him
right and proper, and In response To
nd Ai
convictions. The man, therefore, who sets
up tho voX populi as his standard of states
manship, is spending his Time and effort
merely for the noisy and interested few, tn,
petitioners and lobbyists, who would have
him believe that the whole country Is up il
arms about u proposition about whiCl
PROBABLY the country really and ut hear
doesn't care a straw. We all know how pc
titions are gotten up, and how little min,
out of ten even of the subscribers care abou
their subject matter. And veal know hoy
the adroit lobbyist can lead his victim t,
suppose that his reputation and future ar
wrapped up in his action upon u certain
measure. This miserable timc-seWing an,
demagoguery, this criminal departure from
what is right and just regardless of conse
quences, is on the increase rather than tn
decline. There is less courage In the cN
preston of conviction than iormcrl
and every patriotic citizen cannot but dc
plore the fact. We would like to see thos
who make laws and who are general
among the most conspicuous and worth
, men of their respective communities, Civ,
less heed to what they imagine the massc
} want and ignoring every influence but tina
Of the intellect and conscience such ~ M
ture aud education have blessed them Will
dare to do Just what is right, just what
! liberal and progressive and Just. In dom
this they would strike the chords of pop,
lar approval dozen times where no
! they miss II score of times by attemptir
, TO act always and only in response to Il
voy populi
. -
ECoNOMIzING TIME