The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-28
VENOM OF ANARCHY.


Il rum FlTSI rage.
absent always suffer; and the public
are not invited to participaSe in cor
porate meetings. Very lately corpora
tlons are organizing under conditions
that do not permit even all of the
stockholders to examine the books, that
privilege being reserved for holders of
preferred stock alone. 1t may be that
persons who rely on this remedy are
misled by the laws relating to the ex-
ANIMATION OF the books of barfks.
winch are very easily examined Banks
nave only to do with a single COM
modify, one that has fixed and un-
varying values, and the nature of the
business is such as to call for a writ
ten voucher for every entry. The vo-
cabulary of a bank bookkeeper hardly
exceeds dozen words. But even in
the case of banks, where fraud or
incompetence has supervened, the task
OF investigation is often attended with
dlfnculty and ends in doubt The diff
nculty is enormously increased when
IL comes to like examinations of the
books of other corporate bodies doing
an extensive and varied business In
such cases it is not unfrequently found
that the mysteries of modern book
keeping exceed those of alchemy; re-
m1nding one of the response of a rail-
way president to his legal adviser to
a question as to what the books of
the company would show regarding a
controversy then under consideration.
Well, said the president, as 1 fore
saw long ago that this dispute would
sometime probably arise, and, not
knowing exactly $what form it would
assume, I kept the books in a flexible
condition.
Flexible bookkeeping may justly
claim hla nf fu
formed one of the minor charges of
Cicero against Verres, and a contem-
porary poet surmises that it was utiI-
lied by the contractors that built the
pyramids"
Quack Remedies Not Needed.
Mr.. Rose was not enthusiastic on
the subjects of primary elections, mi
nority representation and the initiative
and referendum. AS elections are held
for the purpose of sileneing the clamor
of minorities he could see not valid
reason why minority representation
should exist and primary elections he
thought simply doubled the chances of
election corruption.
Il express no opinion on the sub
jeet; but it is difficult to see why the
boss and the demagogue, when active
and efficient in a single election, should
of a double election.
when Lord Byron was asked what
was the best form of government, he
answered that they were all so bad
that it was hard to say which was the
worst Certain it Is that none of them
live up to their ideals. We believe,
however, that representative form is
the best. Its theory is that as men
in their private affairs usually-all
things being equal-choose the best
tailor, the best shoemaker, the best
lawyer and the best doctor they can
get having regard not only to their
knowledge and their SKILL but also to
their honesty, they will use like dis
erection In choosing their political
agents. In practice the rule does not
always work out in that way; and men
who are VIGOROUSLY unfit, partly
through party management and de-
sire to reward party services, some
times of reprehensible character, are
elected to. positions of great RESPONSE
bility. If the theory on which our form
of government is based was carried
cut the official representatives would
be greatly superior to the average con-
stituent; but it often happens that he
is greatly below the average both in
respect of competency and integrity.
"It is sometimes said that every peo-
! pie has as good government as 1t
deserves: and this is true of all that
are free. The evils that impair the
successful operation of our govern
ments, both state and federal,are deep
seated and quack expedients, dealing
with surface indications, cannot be re-
lied on to do any good. Therein must
the patient minister to himself
The popular election of Senators,
Mr. Rose thought extremely likely to
come to pass, although he could not
himself discern the good it is said to
promise.
'It is by no means sure" he said,
that the election of senator's by pop.
ular vote will confer any benefit, see
ing that it cannot be easily explained
how the same voters, who cannot elect
good representatives,, can be confident
ly expected to elect good senators.
Associations General Council.
The association elected the follow
ing general council:
Alabama-O. r. Hunley, Admission.
Florida-R. A. Williams. Tallahas-
see.
Georgia. w. Meldrim, Savannah.
Louisiana-William Writ Howe, New
Orleans.
Mississlppi-R. P. Thomas. Jackson
North Carolina-J. Crawford Biggs,
Durham.