The morning call., 1893-08-01
ESSAY ON SELF-GOVERNMENT

Those who are puzzled to account for
the comparative failure OF representative
government in the Latin countries south
OF US will be helped to understand the
phenomenon by reading the History of
Election. in the American Colonies" by
CORTLAND Bishop. which has just been
published by Columbia College, New
York. 1t was De Tocqueviile who first
drew attention to the habits of self-re-
lance and self-government which pre-
vailed in the British colonies in America.
and contrasted them with the instinct of
paternalism with which the French colo
nis.s and the French at home were i'm
bued, He showed that from the start tine
Anglo-Szxons laid a foundation for free
institutions. while the Latin races at
tempted nothing of the kind and relied
upon their Government to dry nurse them :;
whence it came that when the era of
freedom arose the latter were not edu-
Gated to use the privileges it conferred.
In the beginning the Governors of the
older colonies were either appointed by
the crown or were chosen by the charter
companies There were for some time no
legislative assemblies. This was the sys-
MES. But in Massachusetts the freemen
soon asserted the right of voting for Gov
errors, and after the conquest OF New
YORK by the English local Offices became
elective. though the Governors were still
appointed. A similar system prevailed in
the Southern colonies: the Governors
were appointed either by the crown
or by the charter companies. but in
Virginia or Maryland a House of Bur
gesses elected by the freeholders exer-
cised some legislative authority. Thus the
people were educated at very early
period of their history to exercise the
franchise. No similar education took
place in the Spanish colonies. and the
people got no training In the representa-
tive system or the business Of seif-govern-
mont. How this defect operated against
orderly administration and tended to SUBJ
stitute revolutionary movements for the
peaceful working of the ballot the con;en-
porary chronicle of Mexico shows. When
an election takes place in Mexico tie rul-
ing clique ia the City of Mexico send word
to the Governor of State that they de-
sire So and So to be elected to the Cham
Der and So and So to be chosen Governor.
of influence and they cast their ballots
accordingly. Most elections go practically
by default, only handful of the people
taking the trouble to vote.
We, who are jealous of our rights as citi-
Zens, and insist on exercising them on all
occasions, do not always remem Der that
races which are not trained to the use Of
the ballot regard voting and other civic
duties as an onerous charge. to be evadei
if possible. Spanish-Americans look upon
attendance at the polls as too many Of us
view service On a jury-a task to be
shirksd. If there is any way Of Sinking il.
The fundamental principle OF self-govern-
ment, which we learned by electing bodies
of selectmen and congresses when the colo
MES were in their infancy. is not congen ial
to them. Curiously enough, representa-
tive government existed in Spain before it
existed in England. The Spanish iueros
antedate the first attempts at self-govern-
ment in our mother country. But with
the consolidation of the Spanish Kingdoms
into one monarchy the fueros fell into
disuse, and the Cortes has never sue
ceeded in resurreetlng their power. The
Spanish idea Of government is despotism
tempered by revolution.
1t seems conceited thing TO say. but
no nation but tho Anglo-SaXon has ever
succeeded in planting representative gov
eminent on q substantial foundation. The
chronic ministerial crises in France show
how far the best educated Frenchmen are
from understanding free institutions; the
vote the other day in the Reichstag on the
army bill proves that the Germans have
not learned how representative body
should give effect 10 the popular will.
These nations all seem to be only one
stage in advance Of native Egyptians. One
day some years ago England resolved to
give Egypt Parliament. A hall was
hired and the leading nations were in
vIted to inspect it. Their English guide
pointed out to them that the supporters of
the Ministry would sit on one side and the
opposition on the other. "Ob," said the
Egyptians, there is no need of two sides;
we shall all. under all circumstances, sit
on the Ministerial benches"