Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-11-30
THE SACRED TRUST OF POPULAR
POWER.

~ needs no teulOus EXPERIMENTATION 70 snow
that the men who would use public power
to confer special privileges and distribute
with unequal hand the benefits and burdens
of organized society are working against the
growth and spirit Of our institutions. The
Jeffersonian doctrine, Equal rights to all
special privileges TO none," became the hope
of the fathers of the republic, and its reali
cation is still with the people.
By the test Of "the greatest good TO the
greatest number" and a "fair distribution OF
benefits and burdens" shall every system of
government and method of administration
be ultimately tried--even though the over
grown fatlings OF misused power may for a
while divert the public mind from the line
of Investigation and the duty Of criticism by
devices always selfish, and generally cruel.
In government like ours they who abuse
popular power would not only rob US of the
blessings intended to be bestowed, but of re.
pose, because with 1t comes reflection, after
wards investigation.
With the favored recipients of special
benefits that only is patriotism which ap.
plauds the system by which they are select.
ed for distinctive blessings, whilst with the
toiling millions every step is moistened with
sweat or blood. In this country, whilst the
curtain of the nineteenth century is nearly
down, It would appear to those in whose
hands have been placed the power of gov
eminent that only Is loyalty which excuses
the methods by which the favored few are
enriched, while the masses go hungry for
the plain fare Of equal rights. These are
the tests OF patriotism and loyalty pre-.
scribed by this class of creatures the world
over, whether they be monarchs on the
throne, landlords In Ireland, or subsidized
capitalists 10 America.
Because Of mans inherent selfshness, and
the mental and physical inequality stamped
upon the entire race, government is ne.
cessity. We would rather rest the existence
of human government on this basis than on
that of a contract, because II harmonizes
more accurately with natural probabilities
and furnishes the best standards by which
TO measure governmental action. The pro-
lection OF the weak being the necessity
which called human government into oper.
alton, that necessity must be met or the pur-
pose OF government fails and the people are
at liberty to disregard 1t. In this we must
he careful always 10 discriminate between
system and practice, and never condemn a
good system because of bad practice. II
the fault is with the system, 1t should be
overturned, II with the practice, then better
agents should be selected
We have had occasion to say in these col.
umns that according to the democratic view
OF government, In the abstract, the subjects
of government stand on the same plane of
merit, and mal.use OF power occurs when
governmental agencies confer special ad-
vantages upon selected few, or 80 apply
the power entrusted TO them as to bring
about a manifest inequality Of wealth, in.
fluence or privileges. Such result is against
the fundamental purpose of government,
and is therefore usurpation-itis against the
rights of the maryland is therefore tyr
amy.
Henry Brooke, the Irish dramatist, when
touching upon the abuse Of power, said
Tyranny
Absolves all faith, and who invades rights,
Howe'er his own commence, can never be
But an usurper"
Aristotle said: "a king ruleth as he
ought, a tyrant as he lists, king to the
profit Of all, tyrant only TO please few"
A great poet, in discoursing upon the
crime Of tyranny, and how the blood of those
who abuse the peoples greatest trust be
comes outlswed and forfeit, said:
"What are the few drops of human blood
IT'S false;
The blood Of tyrants is not human they,
Like to incarnate Molochs, Iced on ours,
Until it is time TO give them TO the tombs
Which they have made 50 populous. Oh,
world
Oh, men What are We, and our best designs
That we must work by crime TO punish
crimep
In letter dated November 18th, 1887, ad.
dressed TO Col. Smith, Mr.. Jefferson said
"And what country can preserve It's liber.
to time that the people preserve the spirit OF
resistancei What signify few lives lost in
Q century or twof The tree of liberty must
be refreshed from time to time with the
blood Of patriots and tyrsnts. 1t is natural
manure"
Notwithstanding this high authority for
thus Furnishing the betrayal Of popular trust,
we are happy in the possession of system
which renders extreme and sanguinary
measures unnecessary. Under our system
of government all power comes from the
people, II tyrant, usurper, knave or fool mars
the administration of public affairs 10 this
country, the people under our system of fire..
quent elections, have no one TO blame hut
themselves. 1t is 80 easy to clip the cord
of official tenure that the punishment ordi
nariy due To official treachery would rarely
be appropriate.
A distinguished statesman has said that
"public Office is public trust" In coun.
try and with such form of government as
we possess there should never be room or
cause for the abuse of power. The current
OF civil power should ever flow smoothly
and the burden Of government light upon
all. Our rulers and representatives come
from the people, and II they strike for some
thing less than the good OF the public-the
whole public-they are guilty Of treason to
The purpose Of human government
Caius, the Samnite. said: when the
Romans begin TO take brides there will soon
be an end OF their tlourishing empire"
AvArice, which Is but an expression Of self
love, is the parent OF bribery in whatever
Iorm 1t may present itself. And to human
,varice, in the administration OF human gov
may be traced, perhaps, every evil
IF which the governed may rightly com
plain. Just as the true basis of morality
8 religion 80 the true basis Of politics, con-
dered 10 any form, is morality. Therefore
rlstotle laid down the maxim that "a