The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
HISTORIAN LECKY
JAYS ALEXANDER HAMILTON WAS
WISER THAN JEFFERSON
Democracy and Liberty" History of Our Own Time

seems, he says, to have almost wants he'd In
democratic countries; and he quotes approx.
ingly the words of Leon Say that the modern
representative is hardly anything more than
"an agent for instgating expense" Each
wishes to get an appropriation for his district,
and to enable increasing number of his
constituents to secure a livelihood out of the
public taxes. Governments are thus led into
extravaganza and wastefulness of the national
resources, and corruption in official life in
variably follows.
Another feature of government by universal
suffrage, which is noted as already tending to
the danger point, is that of multiplying re-
strictions upon various forms of human action.
This means an increase of bureaucracy, or in
other words, of the number and power of state
officials. 1t means also constant increase of
taxation, which is itself a constant restriction
of liberty. One of the first forms of liberty.
says Mr.. Lecky, is the right OF every man to
dispose of his own property and earnings, and
If taxes are multiplied for the purpose of
carrying out crowd of objects in which he
has no interest, and with many of which he
has no sympathy, his liberty is proportionately
restricted
Speaking generally of democracy and liberty,
Mr.. Lecky says:
To place the chief power In the most ignorant
classes is TO place it in the hands of those who
naturally care least for political liberty and who
are most likely to follow with devotion some
strong leader. The sentiment OF nationality
penetrates very deeply into all classes, but in all
countries and ages it is the upper and middle
classes who have chiefly valued constitutional
liberty, and those classes it is the work OF
democracy to dethrone. At the same time
democracy does much to weaken among them
also the love of liberty. The instability and in
security of democratic politics, the spectacle of
dishonest and predatory adventurers climb
nv cnfr info NF
great power in the state. the alarm
which attacks property seldom fail
to produce among those who have something to
lose, may easily to the side of despotism
large classes who under other circumstances would
have been steady supporters of liberty. A despot-
ism which secures order, property and industry,
which leaves the liberty of religion and private
life unimpaired, and which enables quiet and in
dustriOus men to pass through life untroubled and
unmolested, will always appear many very
preferable to democratic republic which is
stantly menacng, disturbing or plundering them.
Mr.. Lecky is not what is generally known as
q peSsimist. He has faith in society. He sees
that it is continually improving and he has
confidence that these improvements will grow
from more TO more. In his judgment, how
ever, under government by universal suffrage
these improvements must be made not
through the government, but in spite of it.
Little by little the chasm will widen between
the real governing element OF the community
and the politicians, until at last parliaments
will no longer be regarded as the true repre-
sentative of the nation. He does not despair
of what will happen then, nor does he believe
that despotism or anarchy are the only pos
sible outcome. He suggests a remedy for
England, at any rate, and strangely enough it
is q limited form of the referendum He would
allow an appeal to society at large in order
TO save society from the representatives of its
lower elements. For sale by Doxey; price S5.1
JOHN MCNAUGHT,