Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-10-09
Politics and Economy.
iarper's Magazine.

In this country prejudice and tradi-
ton maintain in existence two great
political parties, neither of which is
willing to take definite stand upon
either side of any great administrative
or financial question, and this notwith-
standing the fact that nowhere in the
nation are we confronted by single
question that is political, as contradis-
tinguished from economical, for our
political emancipation was won long
ago, and leaves little TO be desired,
while our economical emancipation has
vet to be achieved. Wors. of all, these
party divisions reach down even to the
wards of cities, and prevent or nullify
the effects of any cooperation among
the citizens as such, acting together
for the reduction of local tax rate.
The public bookkeeping attracts but
few, and those few go to the polls on
election day and vote against each
other because some twenty years ago
there were national issues which tran
scended all bookkeeping. The,people
are like the members of a great stock
company who own a few shares each,
and knowing that any loss must be dis
tributed pro rata are willing to remain
ignorant of the company's accounts,
and trust to luck and their subordi-
mates. Our municipalities are such
joint stock companies, and are the only
ones which our business men treat in
this way. 1t IL one of the peculiarities
of our form Of government in cities
that those who should be and ultimately
are most interested in them fail in the
inclination TO study their finances, al
though they to have meet the demands of
the budgets, and although the budgets
are the summary of the conditions and
possibilities of municipal life. In phys
les we are taught the laws of states be-
fore we take up those of dynamics, but
in politics this is completely reversed,
and we talk continually of what may
be and of what should be, without know
ing or caring to know what actually is.
The people simultaneously demand
small tax rates and larger expenditure
for public works, or an enlargement of
the functions of the government. The
people, if deeds and not words be taken
as symptoms, are more patient of the
increase of public expenditure than
they are impatient of the public burden,
even when they know that with the
public moneys the politicians are doing
those things which they ought not to
do, and leaving undone those things
which they ought TO do. So true is this
that in some parts of the country. in
New Jersey and Maine, the people have |
permitted the municipalities to be ex-
travagant to tAe point of bankruptcy.
II one were to say that the remedy for |
such disease Of the public mind Is the |
study of statistics, he might be rouEdly |
laughed at, and yet he would be by no |
means wide OF the mark. IL our voters |
would devote but little time TO the |
matter, and disregarding altogether the |
appeals to their passions and prejudices
which are the basis of the claims of |
political parties to their consid-
GRAFTON, and having familiarized them
selves somewhat with the machinery of |
the government rather than with the
government of the machine, study the
budgets themselves, and then Judge
and act as they do when looking
over their own balance-sheets, the much
creditor reforms would not be so slow
In coming. Such a study OF the figures
robs political questions of their person.
al, traditional, and contingent charac-
ter, shows the real tendency Of affairs,
and gives the stamp of truth or of
falsehood to tho promises OF politicians,
whom we follow too largely for what
thew say rather than for what they do.
it goes without saying
hat il the great problems which are
fraught with danger for our country
are really economical and administra-
tive. this is the only way to study them.
for the figures are not apt at lying.
which Ia more than can be said for the
politicians, who distort their true mean
Ing when they notice them at all. The