The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-03-09
MARCH 9. 1895
NOT REPUBLICAN. =.

The theory of the government of the
United States is that sovereignty rests
with the people, and all acts, legislative
or executive, must be In accordance
with their will or desire. OF course
Z the judiciary Is presumed to interpret
the will of the sovereign people as ex-
pressed in the constitution of the coun.
try or in that of the several states, and
from the decisions of the highest courts
there is no appeal except in the quasi
right of revolution, which, if success
full. changes the form of government,
but, if not, is considered rebellion
and those implicated are punished as
traitors. Congress and the different
legislative bodies of the states are sup
posed to represent sovereignty in its
individual and collective capacity. AMI
their acts are presumed to be the e.
ponents of the public will. This is
understood by the elector at the bal
lot box, and by this means he ex-
presses his choice for the man who
shall express his views on all questions,
national or local, either in the legisla-
ture of the state or In the general
congress. For the members of the
upper branch of the national assembly
the choice is delegated to the repre-
sentativef in the state legislature. But
the intelligent voter considers the rep
resentative receiving his support as
under obligation to express his choice
for United States senator, and if he
deviates from this implied pledge he
violates trust reposed in him.
The theories of government in this
country are in harmony with free in
stitutions and with the sovereignty of
the citizen. In practice it is far diff
ferent. After the legislature convenes
the laws made may be such as the
people desire or they may not be. Its
tenure of Office is safe for a certain
time, and the members generally do as
they please. II they desire a re-
election they are more careful, ard
may pass legislation which their con-
stituents demand. The same rule will
apply to congress. perhaps, with
greater force. and the session which
has Just closed is forcible illustration
of this. The msjority of the men,
bers we're elected as exponents of free
trade and frees silver Democracy, and
the time has been wasted in pro6tless
discussion of public questions. In
England such q parliament would have
been dissolved as soon as the first
measure introduced failed of passage;
but they were elected for two years,
and they served their time out and
went home.
The representative element in our
institutions is neither democratic or
republican, and, in many instances, it
does not carry out the wishes of the
people as much as the parliaments of
monarchies. It may be true, that in
this free nation the masses are
but they may become the
tools of politicians and Office seekers,
and our boasted liberties, by reason of
the arbitrary actions of congresses and
are often farce OF the
worst kind. Suffrage is universal, and
the ballot-box IL the chess board at
which political schemers use electors
to work their own sweet will. The
will of the citizen is followed as far as
it suits the desires of politicians, and
the more general the right Of suffrage
the larger the field in which they can
ply their vocation.