The sun., 1893-07-09

be deceived. What In England IL called
, hustinEs speech. and what we call a stun
speech. has become proverbialfor insinceritl
This Ignorance. earelessness. and corruptio
among the electors seems to be an inheren
vice OF representative government on larg
scale. Not that there is any form Of Govern
mont under which bribery can be wholly pre-
vented. 1t is vice which occurs everywher
in some shape or other. but which varies IL
shapes Infinitely. II bribery appears In des
potism or in city commonwealth. 1t common
ly takes tho form OF bribery OF the rulers
IN representativs government. IT takes TIT
really worse form OF bribery OF tho electors.
Tho example OF Rome might possibly b'
quoted on the other aide. Rome wa' n cit
commonwealth. and yct In the later and cor
rupt days OF the republic bribery at eloction'
was as common at Rome rs It has ever beer
In England or in the United States. But this
| was evidently for the same reason which
makes It common In large modern States
under the representative system. The Roman
tribes were open to bribery because they be-
came, as time went on. littlo more than m
| electoral body: their legislative powers had
| shrunk almost to shadow. The vices. then,
| OF ignorance and corruption In tho electoral
| body seem to he on inseparable evil OF m odern
| representative government Prof Freeman
| knows OF no panacea. whether OF conservative
| or democratic reform. which can wholly re-
move them. He admits that vote by ballot
does good deal to lessen intimidation and
something to lessen corruption; but he is not
OF the opinion that it entirely wipes out the
stain. Neither can corruption be got rid OF by
limiting the franchise to some considerable
property qualifications; actual bribery may
be got rid OF. but not corruption in all it's
forms. Those whose social position sets them
above being brlhed with hard cash will easily
find out ways OF repaying themselves for their
votes by appointments In tho public service
or by Jobs at the public expense. As to tho
vices OF ignorance aud prejudice. they
arc beyond the reath Of reform bills.
They are the monopoly OF no partic-
ulor social class and OF no particular
political party. Really wise men and
good citizens are to be found scattered up
and down among all classes and all parties.
No system has yet been invented which will
make them. and mono but them the sole
possessors OF political power. No class has
any real right to despiss any other class,
whether above or below 1t in the social scale.
Very little. consequently. is gained by nero
legislative restrictions OF the franchise. tho
vices Of electoral ignorance and corruption
being ineradicable from the representative
system. Yet. although the evil can never be
overcome. much mdy be done to alleviate it. II
Well-lnIOrm6G men Will make IL tnelr business
to difruse sound political knowledge among
the people: II they will deal with tho people as
men TO be reasoned with. not as brutes to be
chained. or as fools to be cajoled: II as large II
portion OF the people as possible has some
direct share in local matters. however triiling
much may be done to raise the character OF
the electoral body. Nevertheless. it is in
vain to hope that the average standard OF the
electorate Of n largo centralized State like
modern England or modern France will ever
be as high as the average standard Of the pop
ular assembly Of small city comm onw ealth.
We must not dream OF ever seeing the every
day Englishman or Frenehman attain tho same
political and intellectual position as was held
by the everyday Athenians.
After all. however, It is conceded by Prof.
Freeman that tho balance OF advantage lies in
favor OF the modern system OF large States.
The small republic. indeed, develops its indi-
vidual citizens to a pitch which in the large
kingdom is utterly impossible. But It so de.
velops them ut the cost OF bitter political strife
within and almost constant warfare without,