The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-07
WHAT OUR COUSINS ACROSS THE
WATER THINK OF OUR
INSTITUTIONS.

We print elsewhere a very causuc put
most readable article taken from The
Saturday Review, Of london, upon Ameri-
can institutions. as illustrated by :he re-
cent scenes in thu Kansas Legislature
| at Topeka. The Saturday Review Is an
ultra Tory Journal engaged. therefore. IN
war to the knife upon Mr.. Glldstone's
Home Rule bill. II cannot be denied that
the theorist can find in the late scenes at
Topeka much 10 point argument. sar-
casm and ridicule In opposition to a plan
OF popular government; nor Is the Re Kew
TO be blamed for gliding Mr.. Bryce. author
OF a work in extravagant praise OF our
institutions and an abe supporter OF Eir.
Gladstone. on the practical working OF
the institutions he so much admires as
illustrated IN Kansas.
All this is very we'll for the satirist
and Photographer and IT undoubtedly pre-
sents theoretical argument very difficult
to deal with.
Nevertheless the Review cannot shut
its eyes 1t cannot, II 1t would, remain
conscious Of the fact that those same
popular institutions. which 1t so derides.
have produced here within one hundred
| years a country which is the marvel OF
all time and the most powerful country
in every respect that makes a people
powerful, now inhabiting this globe. 1t
may laugh at one Of the Kansas factions
| for pointing Winchesters. which they did
not use. and IL may ridicule the Governor
for calling out artillery. which was never
| fired. But the Review knows that II this
country required it. 1t would find that
same Governor and those same rioters
using Winchesters and cannon with good
heart and deadly effect against the most
powerful Of hostile nations that should
attempt TO wrong their own country.
Popular institutions do undoubtedly
breed and foster a set OF mounting,
frOthy fellows whose business OF seeking
Office necessitates that they shall keep
themselves always in the public eye.
whilst, with their ceaseless clamor, they
tease the public ear. II is a breed much
given to declaring its purpose to carry
it's point by force" to asserting it's rights
manfully" and to announcing that what
ever goes against them lis an Infamous
usurpation consummated by brute force
| phrases which so tickle the Review. But
the Review must not suppose that these
water flies" are the American people.
The American people-those bred and
nurtured by free institutions who really
constitute the country-engaged In the
serious pursuits OF life go on with their
usual avocations in amused Indifference
| to the antics OF those demorstI alive
members Of society called politicians.
| knowing full well that as soon as they
! have got the trash off their stomachs"
they will stop shaking fists at each other
and fall to drawing their salaries with due
regularity and in the usual way. This
is the cardinal fact which the Review
overlooks and It will never understand
the real working Of popular institutions
until It learns this fact of prime impor-
lance in all its force. The politician is
not the representative Of the American
people. He is a fellow looking for the
salary attached to an office, not insisting
| upon opinions of his own, but seeking
eagerly TO ind out the opinion of others,
to adopt It as his II he thinks the major
ity holds it. He is fungus growth upon
the body polite who must live according
TO the law Of his nation: but 1t would be
as gross a mistake TO suppose the people
he lives on to be like him as it would be
to suppose that trees are like the frogs
that live on them. II the Review would
learn the full value and importance OF
popular institutions 1t must learn the
true difference between the politician and
the people. and 1t can never discuss the
case with effect until 1t knows that.