The Ottawa free trader., 1889-04-27


was unknown TO the ancient republics, but
the town meeting dates back to the pros.
porous days of Grecian liberty.
The town meeting of the Athenians, or
the assembly OF the people, as II was
called, was, however, a mixed democracy.
1t was not pure like ours The people all
voted, but by classes, the higher classes
holding all the offices, until II change was
effected In after years. II was the popular
form OF governing Yet the people were
not always satisfied. Ambitious men
would obtain the lead and pass resolutions
that were not always wholesome. The
lower classes did not enjoy the titllations
OK ONCE Other forms of government
were sometimes instituted, yet the people
soon tired OF the ten archons and the thirty
tyrants
Our town meeting Is a purer democracy
than any that has ever existed and Il
might be made purer still if the women
would attend and show up' their hands.
There Is with US but one class, the peo-
pie, nor Is 1t necessary that voter at the
town meeting should be voter at the
election. Even minors, when division is
called, hold up hand sometimes both
hands. The leaders of our town meetings
that Is, those who do all the talking
offer all the resolutions, make all the
harangues, are, unlike the ancient Atheni,
ans, self-constituted. They are not ap.
pointed; those over sixty years of age to
speak first, and those under afterward Old
tOggies and old cranks are set aside. There
are no restrictions of age, condition or
wealth, Any man If he have CAB and
tact and pluck can become leader.
Our leaders believe in the doctrine of
"eternal vigilance" They watch the cor.
ners' they see that the town receives no
harm; they cOnstrue the statute strictly
and are On the lookout for snakes for such
"is the period of liberty"
II new man, not recognized as leader,
arises to offer resolution or make har-
angue he is looked upon with suspicion by
the people and renders himself liable to
be sat down upon. He is out of order. He
speaks without authority. If he has
an ak of his own to grind, he offends the
people; If he sets himself up rs a general
grinder of axes ne Otfends the leaders. If
he has plenty of grit and is gifted with
CAB he may hold his own, and will finally
establish himself as leader and be en-.
titled to speak early and often, without in
terruption upon any question that may
come up. But If he Is timid and possesses
none of the elements of leadership he may
be expected TO be interrupted with ques.
tiOns and Hings and jeers, with confusion
of voices-several speaking at once-by
those of his own class, the democrats,
while the leaders look on complacently un-
Ill quiet is restored. If they, the leaders,
favor the resolution it may pass if not ii
will be rejected, whatever meit it may
possess.
DemOsthenes when he first began to ad-
dress Athenian assemblies, was laughed at
because, and for other reasons, he slut
tered but after he had got rid of that
silly aifectation he became quite a leader
at their town meetings-their police
courts--and when he took the stump
against Philip OF Macedon.
But it sometimes happens that when a
plain but well'known citizen, one who has
no ambition to become leader, and no in
tentiOn of becoming q follower, offers an
honest, common. sense resolution, the peos
pie are inclined to look favorably upon 1t
and would pass il with little or no opposi-
ton if the leaders who felt ii their duty 10
say something by way of amendment or
suggestion, or opposition for the sake of
argument, would let 1t alone.
When a wise and dignified Draco
arises and says: "l am in favor of the res
olutlon but"-and wise SOlOn also arises
and says 81 am in favor of the resolution
but''-and when a wiser than either says
that che would be in favor of the resolu-
ton if"-snd when all the wise men, in
Guiding the three from Gothona in the
back part of the room, have interposed
their ifs and butts, and when the ponder
Gus statute is brought in to muddle the
matter still further and the people have
become excited, thinking that they smell
something rotten in Denmark, the mover
of the resolution, if he is modest man, is
inclined to back down from his position, or
to accept any and every amendment that
may be offered for it is matter of little
difference to him then whether his resolu-
tion is killed by the amendment or wheth-
er 1t is hung, drawn and quartered on the
spot.
| have oboerved that at all the public
assemblies of the people the sayings and
the doings of the wise men have great
deal of force, even when administered in
small doses; and that the leaders of the
people are supposed to possess vast
amount of wisdom.
| have also observed that when detached
portions of the statute are put into the
scales to settle mud lie, common sense
and common justice invariably kick the
beam.
To illustrate AT late town meeting a
resolution was offered by man who
seemed TO be honest in his intentions and
thought that all honest and right minded
men would think as he did, but he was
mistaken. They did not think so. All
honest men do not think alike. His reso-
luton was discussed, amended and lost.
1t was laid on the table as unworthy of
further consideration. He haf not con-
suited the leaders. He had not consulted
the statutes; but thought that common
Justice aside from the oracles and the law.
would bear him out,
1t was thought by many that the amend
ment killed the resolution, but 1t was not
So And writelthis in justification of the
mover of the amendment. He had no In
tention whatever of killing the resolution.
He saw the dilemma the mover was in
after the reading of the statute and kindly
came to his assistance, hoping to put 1t into
shape so that it would pass. 1t was too
late, however; the resolution was dead be-
fore it was killed. The wise men and the