The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-11

form of government is "that which Is
best administered" A bad form of
government fairly, honestly and con-
scientiously administered is apt to give
more satisfaction and better govern
ment than a better form badly admins
tered.
Popular government is what the peo-
pie make it. That fact is at once its
strength and its weakness. According
to the way it is administered it can be
made the best or the worst government
in the world, and the quality of it's adj
ministration depends on the people. A
French King said, 81 am the state" In
republic the people are the govern
ment, and its administration is good or
bad just in proportion as they attend
faithfully and conscientiously to their
political duties. The hackneyed adage
that Eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty" might be paIaphrased Eternal
vigilance is the price of good govern
ment."
Applying these remarks to our Legis-
lature, and to the average legislature
OF recent years, we are forced to admit
that it is amazing that free and intelli-
gent people should submit to be gov
erned by laws made by such bodies.
Every civilized or even half civilized
government has legislative body OF
some kinda body to which is commit
ted the duty of making laws for the peo-
pie. Theoretically, in all governments,
this body is supposed to be composed of
men who are thoroughly honest, ac-
quainted with the history of legislation,
with at least some knowledge of the sci
ence of government, some acquaintance
with existing laws, some idea of the
needs of the State. and actuated by the
single motive of legislating for the well
fare of the whole people. A moments
reflection will suffice to show that the
average American legislature does not
approximate this standard. The aver
age Indiana legislature falls far below
it. The average Democratic legislature
does not approach it. Taking the last
Legislature as sample, it would scarcely
be an exaggeration to say that those
who were qualified to legislate were
dishonest and those who were honest
were incompetent. There were num-
Der of members in both houses who
knew nothing of the history of legisla-
ton, nothing of the science of govern
ment, of the existing body of laws or of
the needs of the State. Of course. they
never should have been nominated or
elected. There were others who pos
sessed more intelligence aud informa-
ton, but less honesty. There were
others still who had sought the position
to advance their own interests or those
of some class. There were scarcely a
dozen members in the entire Legislature
who possessed the necessary lntelli-
gence and honesty to entitle them to be
intrusted with the grave responsibility
of making laws for more than two mill
lions of people.
We have said it is amazing that free
and Intelligent people should submit to
be governed by laws made by such a
body. Yet, who is responsible for such
legislatures7 The free and intelligent
people themselves. Barring gerryman-
ders, for which also the free and lntelli-
gent people are themselves responsible,
through popular suffrage. The worst
rascal, the greatest ignOramus. the big
gest Ounce. the most pronounced min
cOmpOop, the most dishonest and the
most incompetent have all been regu-
larry nominated and elected by the ma
chinery of popular government as
manipulated by the free and intelligent
people. The free and intelligent people,
through their primaries, which are gem
orally more or less packed in the inter-
est of some class or individual, elect
delegates to county convention.
When the convention meets it partak es
largely of the character of a bowling
mob. The nominations for the offices
with money in them are first parceled
out to the favorites of the m oh, and then,
if there is time left, it dominates
candidates for the Legislature. Tom
Jones. cigar maker. is nominated to
represent organized labor; Maurice
Wier, brewer, to represent the liquor in
terest; Eliphalet Smith, huckster. to
represent the farming interest; Larry
O'Brien, to represent the Irish Ameri-
cans; some sprig of lawyer to repre-
sent the business interest, and so on.
There is nobody to represent good gov
eminent and wise legislation. And these
are the kind of men the free and lntelli-
gent people send to the Legislature. Out
of the hundred and fifty members of the
two houses SO elected, probably not fifty
have ever read the Constitution of the
State, considerably less than that num-
Der are at all acquainted with the body
of its laws, probably not score can
draft a bill. and of this score few are
thoroughly dishonest or are in the pay
of corporations. When to this is added
that Democratic legislatures in Indiana
assemble for the prime purpose of pro-
noting partisan interests and feel them
selves protected by the gerrymander in
doing whatever they please. what won
der is il that they have become a scan
dial to the State and a reproach to popu-
lar government
Who or what is to blame for this state
IF affairoa Tho form IF oovernmentq