Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-28
IDEA OF STATECRAFT
Written by Prof. R. A schellhous,
m of Selma.
VIEWS OF DUTIES OF A STATESMAN.

States Having State Elections Annually |
Weld More Influence ms MoIders
ofPubllc Sentiment Than Those
Holding Biennial Elections.
The Courier is in receipt of the fol-
lowing article on "Statecraft," written (
by Prof. r. A. Schellhodse, of Selma,
author of Estate Policy" and editor of /
the "Christian Phrenologist," which I
will be OF interest to many:
While the American system is based |
on the rule of the majority, the true !
statesman in the legislature of each |
state should try to WELD that system
to the greatest advantage to his state !
by securing prestige and gaining in
fluence among her sister states.
Although the substitution Of biennial
for yearly state elections is warranted,
when viewed only from an economic |
standpoint, yet the states having state
elections annually certainly WELD more |
influence as molders of public senti- |
ment in other states than do those |
whose sentiments are only expressed
once in two years.
Hence, the speaker of the house of
representatives in congress is always
chosen from a state where public SEN
timent is expressed at the polls annu-l
ally, as he can watch and know the
trend Of public opinion and the desires
of the will of the majority better than
were. he from a state where such will |
is kept silent a greater length of.
time. The politician who holds the
good of his party above the good of
his state is unworthy of q seat in the
legislature.
~ 81 to lis.
In one of his great speeches in the
United States senate, Daniel Webster
| Illustrated the foolishness of the farce
I of attempting foreknown impossibili-
ties, by telling of Dame Darlington,
whose house was on, a beach on the
coast of the sea. An unusually heavy
wind blowing inland from seward
brought the waters Of. an intiowing ebb,
\ up to her door, when she attempted,
with mop in hand, to. oyerpower the
Atlantic Ocean. When the mirth the
humorous story had elected was sub
sided, Mr.. Webster said: ''Mr. presi-
dent, the contest was unequal and sir,
| SO is, that between the nullifiers in the
legislature of South Carolina, and the
will of the majority of the American
people; and sir, regret that the hon
orable gentlemen of thar assembly
have, by their impohtic and unstates-
manlike course, besneared the, crown
of that proud state with as much ridi-
Guile from her neighbors as did the
worthy Dame Darlington in engaging
in her very unequal contest, s.
Thirty-two democrats in. the general
ASSEMBLY Of Iowa next January will be
unable to cast larger vote, and thus
oyerpower 11s republicans. But by
casting their vote with the. 118, all
for Honorable John H. Gear to CONT
nue. in his seat in the United States
|senate, an act of patriotism will be
|done that would gain. credit and thus
4 give power to our state, asa guide
for the action of the honorable assem-
bly, men, we quote the following from;
State Policy; SGD ,s,.f ss$5
lss M statecraft. s{fss7s
"sAs ITO sovereignty in our govern
ment, the president answers to king
Fin "a monarchy, but we find that under
our Constitution, the United i. States
senate comes more nearly being the
Sovereign, than any other pol tical in-i
stiSntion built BY the people, it having
the power when he is impeached to
remove the president from his seat.
How important that the representa-
! tives Of, the states as independent Of
each other, serving in the United
States, each under the broad seal, OF
4 the identity and separate independence
Iof his own state should be chosen with
a view to strengthen the state in its
personal individuality as an adaman-
tine pillar under the dome.
sAs an opaque. cube of stone set in
4 the place of translucent diamond in
La crown; or as a column supporting,
an arehitraye in the dome of temple,
4 that is hewn out of chalk, is that state;
that failsto preserve its,own personal
dignity, identity and independence: =
"The reelection of United States
senator's. being right guaranteed to
a state by implication, we as readily
infer tito be an implied duty on the
part of legislature.
"The prestige of a state is promoted
by its having Its boundary lines clear
4 ly defined; a centrally located state
capitol; valuable internal improve
menss; worthy state Institutions. an
available credit; a well-equipped milf
tia; an absence of mohocracy; by the
| intelligence and good breeding of its
4 citizens, by the retention of the same
person as its governor, by his repeated
predictions; by sending able represen-
\ tatives to congress and continuing
\ them there by reelection; and by the
selection OF such men for United States
senators as are best qualified to repre-
sent the dignity and separate indie
psndence of the state, and the contin-
uanee OF the same person in this most
exalted position,
4 "The only case in which legislator
may vote to unseat an incumbent is
where the party to which he belongs
has fair show to elect senator OF
its own, the sitting senator belonging
to some other party; but ii the party
to- which the legislator belongs cannot
elect a senator out of its own ranks,
he should vote for the incumbent, and
try TO make his election unanimous, as