The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-02
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lie StduudTu VI SoHiphAA A'c' ~ '''>--
these United States are most frequently
estimated in Europe, with reference 10
their modes of government, their civic
impulses and the probable outcome or
their bold experiment OF self-goVern-
ment, is now Professor James Bryce's
remarkable book, 1.-The American Com
monwealth" uhe third and revised edi-
tion Of which, containing several new
chapters, has just been issued by Mac
milan & Co, New York and London)
We call 1t a remarkable book knowing
ly; for 1t certainly is that. Here is an
Englishman who has brought to his
purpose of authorship not only judi
cial freedom from inherited prejudces,
but also Il patience that did not debar
him from first obtaining Il direct and
careful knowledge of his theme before
assuming to write about 1t; and who,
more wonderful still, Is content for the
most part to present simply an array
of facts in the belief that they will
carry to them, to intelligent observ-
ers. their own lessons and deductions.
When, to these extraordinary equip
ments-for a Briton-we say that Pro-
fessor Bryce has added large and inti-
mate familiarity with the institutions
and traditions of Europe and a breadth
of mental horizon enabling him, for the
greater part, to perceive not simply
Isolated facts but that Internationally
which they bear to the climate. the soil
and the environment of the nation
which he had elected TO study. we sus-
pect that we sustain our claim that
book thus composed may fairly be called
remarkable. George w. Smalley says
II has done us Infinite mischief"
abroad. AS to that, we are unable to
say. What we may say is that in the
great majority of its items of observa-
tion and inquiry 1t tells the exact truth,
holding our democratic merits and de-
fects UP to exhibition with equal i'm
partiality and with no attempt to prose-
lyte or to argue. There is this addi-
tional advantage in such an exhibition:
You are quite apt to see familiar things
in new light-things that one to the
manor born may have grown oblivious
TO, yet that impress the alien student
as of notable popularity and sometimes
Significance. 1t is this characteristic
OF THE American Commonwealth"
which makes 1t fresh reading even to
an inhabitant of that commonwealth.
who, in theory. might be supposed to.
but who, in fact. seldom does. know all
concerning the forms and the fashions
and the perils and the merits of gov
ernment by and for the people
There is no portion of Professor
Bryce's work which may not be read
with profit by the educated American.
If with no other result that to learn
how those institutions to which he has
become hebituated impress the student
of foreign birth and habits. But for
present purposes We must confine this
notice TO merely one or two of those
highly instructive chapters in the sec
ond volume which, supplementing the
first Volumes elaborate exposition of
our various machineries of local, coun-
ty, state and federal government, treat
the more interesting manifestations of
that hardly descrbable yet very po-
tent thing called for convenience. the
public spirit of the American people
First. our present adjustment of po-
litical parties calls forth some candid
remarks. The author admits that from
the constitutional convention of 1887 up
TO the end of the reconstruction pc
riod in say 1876, the two rival organiza-
tions which strove, under various
names, for the mastery typitied, in a
general way centripetal and centri-
fugal forces of government. He is even
disposed to Concede that by tradition
If not by marked contemporary prac-
tice, the Republican party of today Isl,
very broadly speaking, that party
which, in given emergency, would be
most likely to stand for the cohesive
forces of public order, whereas the
Democratic party might with reason be
expected to place stress rather upon
the dispersive forces of lightly checked
personal liberty But, on the other
hand, either party, as at present consti-
tuted, would. he fancies. be quite will
Ing to pursue an opposite course for the
moment, were such reversal OF its ira
dltions likely to embarrass the enemy
or fortify the party committing II in
its possession of the official spoils.
Neither party" he adds with blunt
severity, has now any distinctive prin-
ciples, any distinctive tenets. Both have
traditions. Both claim to have ten
dencies. Both have certain war cries,
organizations, interests enlisted in their
support. But those interests are in the
main the interests of getting or keep
ing the patronage Of the government.
Tenet and policies, points of political
doctrine, and points of political practice
have all but vanished" In support Of
which position the author cites the fact
that one will look in vain, among both
Republican and Democratic platforms,
for t,tt -. l.
with reference to the liquor traffic. the
coinage of silver, the governmental con-
troll Of railways and telegraphs. women
suffrage, these and score or more OF
similar questions that call for atten-
tion in the halls of legislation. Even
with reference to the tariff, Professor
Bryce finds that the Democratic party
in the east Is quite as often for protec-
tion as the Republican party, in the
northwest, Is for that lower tariff which
passes current under the name Of tariff
reform. The momentum of habit. party
organization and the desire for Office
carry both parties forward without,
as yet, much disintegratlon in either;
but unless there shall soon be a revital-
ization of one or the other OF them by
the fearless adaptation to new conditions
OF the fundamental principles upon
which both parties were founded, the
author is inclined to believe that new
organizations will arise to take their
place.
We must content ourselves, today
with only one more reference to Pro.
fessor Bryce's work, one touching his
explanation of why the best men do not
go into politics. "It must be admitted, y
he opines, that the proportion of men
Of intellectual and social eminence who
enter public life Is smaller in America
than 1t has been during the present cen
turv In aarh ~ tho frap cpupt ripa M