The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-28
No Ruler by Divine Right

The frantic effort now making to force the
nomination of a particular man for Mayor
Of New York, as II he had been commits
sloned solely by heaven to rule over us.
should be defeated crushingly as an obliga-
tion to essential American principle.
Under our republican system of govern
ment the existence of such a man. "a ruler
by divine right" is impossible. He has no
existence anywhere except as a monarchical
fiction which outrages even religion. There
Ia no such man. There is no such right.
Among the three million people of the
Greater New York there is no single man
of supreme and exclusive qualifications to
he Mayor. Many Of our citizens are COM
petent for the Office, and no one is preemi-
nent in his fitness for 1t. The checks
and limitations the law puts upon the
Mayor prove that the people are unwilling
TO put absolute trust in any mere man.
They give power to nobody over whom they
do not exercise vigilant supervision to pre-
vent his abusing It. They do not put their
faith in princes they put it in law, which
Is the expression of their own will, and
those who are in Office are held rigidly to
obedience to the law.
Under our representative system Of gov
eminent it is not a man to whom high pub
lie Office is intrusted It is a party, and the
party is held responsible for its use, and
punished or rewarded accordingly. The
character of the party and its principles,
and not the character of a man merely, Is
under discussion in a political canvass.
The question at an election is not, is
he a good mani but is he the rep
rncarftr4 - e.. .-& -Is.l A. -
ity deem good7 A bad man representing
good party is better than a good man rep
resenting a party of evil policy and prin-
ciples. Even if Mr.. BRYAN had been better
morally b Mr.. MCKINLEY, the disaster
Of his election would not have been the
less. The two men voted for last November
for President were only the figureheads Of
two opposing parties. If their names had
been BROWN and SMITH, the result would
have been the same. 1t was not a contest
between MCKINLEY and BRYAN, but be-
tween the Republican and the Democratic
parties, from which the two men derived
all their political consequence. Without
the parties back of them they would have
been nothing except two men named Nc
KINLEY and BRYAN.
That Is the American principle. Thrust
ing forward a mere individuality as of
primary political Importance is a danger
Gus departure from it, rank political heresy,
vicious INT destructive.
If there is any collection Of people in
New York who want to be ruled" by a
particular man they nave made the god of
their idolatry, America is not the place for
them they ought to go to some country
where the idolaters' theory of n ruler by di.
vine right prevails. They do not belong in
this republic.
Fidelity to American principle requires
that this silly hero worship should be re.
bukcd. 1t should be dashed so that>the
smart will never be forgotten. Nc man
thrust forward as a being the people arc
under a divine obligation to put over them
should receive any nomination to Office in
this republic. The American people intrust
parties and not men with the responsibility
of political power.