The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-04-17

= g. - y - 49,
e Ne fl'eet serious considers !lon
from every member q spe1efy. Oar
pFsaefl etee4ve system = pxUaueftve
q three evils upon our ia~-msksng
oHeT. Ihey arr fzrst - causes ozir
taNs 70 g Isaae 81 minority cs the
lsste1d q z majority.
sseeoria--i = nzTsoNt AID csrsxIans<fxS,e
We minis o. 9ar sezta<9rx. and.
s<zsfn. q 1r1yes tn< aosest nnd EureSf
s1ss5s@s fa tae i1a1 from cur Legislative
nAil* ! snAu briefly consider each Of
taese nezdx firstIt causes cur
Us 2 q naaf5s ~ minority # The
Peop.r instead q maFrtty We're
Cur lars voted ssr ~ tne Ptople 81
fzasses q eu0rteds H would b BY ma
fofis{ q ne pe0plS. but - that poser
= aelegzted py fnc peopse 70 represen-
tstsycs. snc ~ fn1f the majority can
ue 9 e e3ecS tne representatives lard
EHere tnfee g more parties exist theT
sre Often elected by the mSnnritsl A
l g 5nr1sF u the representatives make
NE aNa and rtry often = law i
enacted By = majority Of one. As
7mtnz ttsst the legislature u ehoaen
~ small majol y OF the people. and
law i enacted - bare majority Of
the legislature, i ponld naturally be
inferred that the people represented
by the opponents Of the Iaw In the
iegasiature and the people wfzo OPP
posed the election OF the representa-
lives being o large majority OF the
people, woslli he opposed 10 tie law,
showing that oar laws are made By .
majority Of the majority only and not
by q majority Of tlse whole. Either
4
ia the legislature or the laws must be
made by the unanimous vote II the
Legislature - be the Avs Of .aai1rity
Of the people. Under orr systerr. II
three Representatives are 10 be elected
by 116U voters, divided into two par
ties 0f so and so. the go elect the
so. on ali questions which can be
without representation IS If they did
not reside in the country. The so
are taxed by the GO without their
consent. which In reality Is taxation
without representation.
second marrows and eircnua-
srribes the ueinfis Of orr legislators,
sn our state legislatures every ssefn-
her mahes laws for the whole state.
cor eE4ttff3tt$ every B3$fDE@E s4S the
same power over every and any part
OF the state; but. a. members are
elected by districts sasd counties. the
peppIe of the whole state have not the
same power or coafroi over every
member that they have over some
particular member IL therefore fell
legislator Is TO secure the appreciation
- IL
gardlexs oil the estimation in which he
may be held by She balance Of the peo~
pie OF the state. Should tie people
Hho elected fiina request him to act In
some manner which his Judgment
shows hin, would be against the In
tereSts OF the people AT large he would
he compelled 10 carry ont their wishes.
even If an honorable man, because
people who elected him would
do themselves, could they all be per-
souaily present. The majority OF leg
islstors are invariably willing TO obey
the wishes OF their direct constituents.
with them. aud not with himself. No
matter how able, how eloquent or how
honorable he may be; no matter how
klGtS xlC HtAt VE IE&tHEtEA anu
esteemed throughout the state. IL the
majority Of his direct constituents be-
come opposed 10 him. his career as a
legislator Is closed, unless he changes
his residence. Hence. American leg
islators soon ret to yiew ali political
questions through their constituents
mental vision instead Of their own.
Instead of reasoning how this meas
:. f<<.z.& a.
the nation. or mankind. Il is aow
would my constituents feel on this
question? and. too often. they vote
against uas assures OF vital Importance.
when their own reason tells them they
should vote for them. The result Is.
tina. u legislative assembly I'M the
United States, instead Of being an
assembly of men working harrnoni-
ousay for the benefit ofaafI. each i'm
hued with desire 10 promote the
genera. welfare. II fos often q coilec-
ton az iiscoseiant spirits. animated bv
selfish desires. each striving 10 secure
al he can for his ogu particular dis
trict. REGARDLESS al the consequences
To the rest ot the state.
Third 1T drives the aIs,est and
purest minds III the Iansi from the
legislative halls. All European writer's
anon America who write from per-
sanai experience unanimously agree
that the best class OF Americans
esehew politics. aud every intelligent
person who has had personal expert
enee soon understands the cause.
Nothing il 20 repugnant TO an honora-
bic man, possessing d proud and indie
pendent spirit, as ia lie compelled To
stuop 60 ignohle sneans 10 accomplish
his purpose. III every county there
arc but few men qualified by nature to
become statesmen in the true meaning
OF the word. All the COLLEGES In tie
world will never fua.e man States-
man, unless uattste designed him for
that purpose. Two OF the natural
requisites for statesman are, an
independent mind and confidence
in his Own pawers. To be-
come an able and gseat statesman
requires n sifa iisae OF study and prac-
tice. An American statesman receives
his first experience in n state iegisia-
ture. At the present time, ;n order 80
be continuously elected 10 a state
legislature, two things must be done.
First, the good viii of the managers
ol the political machine must be Sc
cured and maintained, IN order To SCI
cure the nomination, and second. the
good will OF majority Of the people
must be secured and maintained. in