The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1897-02-11
POWER is WITH THE PEOPLE.

With every temporary Republican
| party ascendency that happens in this
| country we have revival OF old and
oft-rejected political theories, dug up
| for personal vanity or class advantage,
| and paraded as being as good as new
| before the nation. Just now Senator
| Proctor brings forward proposal 10
| amend the Constitution of the United
| States by making the Presidential term
six instead of four years, and the Con-
greSSiOnal term three instead OF two.
He would also forbid Presidents TO be
reelected
This is all nonsense. In free coun-
try short terms of office bring the men
in power back face to face with their
constituents, and compel them to be on
their good behavior against the day of
reckoning The nearer the public otfi-
Ger is to the time when he must ac-
count to his constituents, the safer the
constituents are that he will obey their
will. Four years is long enough FOR a
good President to do large share of
do a vast deal of harm. AS to the re-
elections the people will take care OF
that, and it will not be necessary to
tinker the Constitution to regulate
them. And the Representative in Con
gress ought to be removed no further
than they now are from frequent ac-
countability to their constituents.
Then comes Senator Sewall, of New
Jersey, with a proposal to amend the
Constitution of his State, so as to hold
biennial instead of annual sessions OF
it's Legislature. This is another at
tempt to remove power further away
from the masses of the people. Under
plea of economy it would postpone the
correction of abuses, and, under the
pretence of diminishing the bulk of
legislation, it would crowd it into con-
fusion to the advantage of the lobby.
There are so many hungry corpora
tions in New Jersey that the people
cannot well afford to leave them un-
watched by the law-making authority.
1t begins to look as though every Re-
publican statesman thought it his duty
to advocate some method of taking
power from the people.-New York
News.
Aga for a Democratic Movement.
The plan frequently advocated in
these columns that United States Sena-
tors be chosen by the people direct in
stead of by the Legislatures has gained
strength in consequence of the selec-
tiOnS made in various parts Of the cOun-
try during the past week, and if the
question of adopting it could be decided
by the voters next month the chances
are that there would be a substantial
majority in the affirmative.
In New York State the wishes of the
Republican voters were undoubtedly
carried out by the legislators, but it
would have been much more satisfac
tory if Platt could have been a candi-
date openly last November. The result
would have been the same, but we
would have had the satisfaction of
knowing earlier that there was no
chance for Choate.
In Illinois, on the other hand, the
Legislature gave the public genuine
surprise by choosing a storytelling pol
iIician known as Billy Mason. He
might have been elected by the voters
in November last had he been nom
mated by his party, but the chances are
that if he had been confronted with the
ordeal of campaign he would not
have been selected.
The worst feature Of the present sys-
TEN is found in the States in which con- f!
the far Western States that are either
factional differences, or the member |
ship of the Legislatures is split up |
among three parties-Republlcan
Democrats and Populists-sO that
neither has a majority. The outcome
of a contest under these circumstances
ist generally the election of some non
entity who has either money or cor |
poration backing, and the interests of |
all the people are made to suffer in
consequence.
Were the Senators elected by popu-
lar vote, SUCH uelHoIdllAlHS uoHu- ioNn'
would be avoided, better class of men
would be secured. as rule, and there
would be no danger of betrayal of the |
trust of the people by venal legislators
as is so often the case in States III
which the Republicans are in a major
itv, while the real choice of a party
would always be sure of getting what
he deserves. 1t would take considera- |
BILE time, however. to alter the Consti-
tution so that such a result could be
achieyed.-New a. York News.
America and Its Money.
1t is given out, upon the authority OF
Senator Walcott, that President-elect
Mckinley. while not desiring to pose as
a silver man. is in favor of internation-