The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-17

hood, the love OF women and even the
Of prattling tod
ding childhood are surrendered.
Just outside this circle stands the
great mass of the people useful alone
as voting machines, and valued only
for the quality of suffrage which
adheres to them. They are demo-
Gratis only because it is the rule in |
1exas, because they have been born |
democrats or because-Which is Of
tener the case-the aforesaid chief is a
democrat and expects them to be too,
for that is the first condition neces-
sary to the ability to cast the requi-
site vote in the right direction.
dumb driven cattle" were a mild
name for it. This comes from no
mate soddeness of the public. 1t
comes from the fact that men
usually place too much con-
fidence in their leaders, take
too little trouble to read and deter
mine for themselves, and because the
habit of being led has grown to be a
veteran one. They seek to be rid of
the responsibility which rests ul,on
every citizen, and in a government
such as ours-formed upon the intelli-
gence, virtue and patriotism of the
masses this thing OF personal respon-
sibility is grave one indeed. Weak,
busy or ignorant men seek to shift it
to the shoulders of others, and there
by they do vast deal of mischief to
the cause of popular government.
1t has grown to be men, not princi-
pies. The old and soundest aphorism has
been reversed and as we are sorry to
see that the sound political morals I'M
DERIVING it have also been parted
with. The value of principle now
is determined by the character of the
men advocating it. Formerly, the
principles which governed and actu-
ated men, alone gave them significance
and Importance. Then it was signifi-
cant both of public and private vir-
tue to hold public position. Then the
popular verdict of the ballot box
meant the confidence of the p ublic in
the personal integrity, personal fitness
and ability of the Individual. ALI
that has passed. ALI that has been re-
| versed. To-day success too often repre-
sents only the cunning, the chicanery,
the adroitness and ruthless determin-
alton of the men who wear the plumes
of success. 1t represents also not the
intelligent public preference, but the
sodden incertitude and plastic will
lingness of the mob, their cupidity
and utter willingness to be bought
and sold providing only that the con-
sideration represents price they deem
"fair." These are all of them the
inevitable results of personalism in
politics. The murderous repression
destroys the very souls of men. Their
manhood and independence all go up
in the one single quality of devotion
to some one man who is no better, NJ
wiser and no more honest than his
pitiful and helpless dupes.
Personal politics thus destroy thu
dea upon which popular government
is founded. If in the near future we
wake up and find values destroyed, il
we find the popular respect for law
and order, for the rights of property
for peace and quiet, for justice, TO
cleanliness and purity in the public
administration fatally wounded, de
stroyed and utterly imperative, who's
fault will 1t be? The peopl
themselves, are blindly led b.
demagoguery, and it is not enough
to say that their inevitable punish
ment is sufficient atonement for tn
fault. Political crucifixion could mo-
wipe it out, because future genera
lions must sup OF the poisoned CUP
and suffer all the bad consequence
which might have been averted by
little stern rugged manhood injected
into the public veins, instead of tn
unmanly and criminally weak person
alism which is the bane of popula
government. The personal govern
ments of Europe and the dreadful
consequences attached, do not, as the,
should, deter us from committing tn
grave fault, and personal government
without the pleasant fiction of divin
right is the worst specimen of the de
leterious principle.