The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1903-08-22


as little expense as they can select
agents? The people can nominate all
the candidates from governor to con-
stable in u direct primary just as
easily and at just as little expense as
they can elect delegates to a nomina-
ting convention. The people are ca
pable of directly nominating their
own candidates.-Guardian Journal.
The question raised by the Guar
dian Journal is by no means new.
It was debated in great heat and
vigor in the times of Alexander
Hamilton, Aaron Burr, Thomas JEFF
ferson and other intellectual giants
of this Republics early days. 1t
is again brought to the front by
the vehement and demagogic as
severations of some of our latter
day statesmen, who would teach us
new methods for "the people" to
rule in affairs of State.
Our latter-day statesmen profess
to believe the Democratic party is
wide of American usage when it
adheres to the plan of "the people
selecting agents to do for them
what they can do for themselves" "
In this they take issue with the
founders of American institutions,
and would make an innovation in
party practices which have pre-
vailed for a hundred years.
The distinctive form of our Re-
publican government is that it is
built solely upon the idea of "gov-
eminent by representation" That
is the Republican idea in contra
distinction to the ancient Demo
cratic Tor mobocratic) idea Pure
democracy" is where the people
rule directly, without any interme-
diary of agent or representative
This form was once used by Greece,
some of the Cantons of Switzerland,
and also by Plymouth, one of the
American colonies It has always
proven a failure and ended in an.
archy. We have q Democratic par.
ty Tin name }, but not Democratic
government. The Democratic par.
ty, profiting by the history of mob
ocracy, in organizing in Americs
has always steered clear of advoca'
ting direct rule by the people, as Z
fallacy entirely contrary to the let
ter and the spirit of American in
stitutions. The people do not and
and are not expected to rule direct
ly in the affairs of government
They delegate their powers to du
ly accredited agents, and hold thu
agents responsible for the admins
ton of affairs. This is exemplifiet
Eby our National, State and Parish
Legislators, by the President, th'
governors, etc. It is a splendid
form of government = tested AMI
! proved by this great nation. ant
? pronounced by profound thinker
to be sthe best on earth"
What good reason can be giveI
why the Democratic party shoult
not follow the plan of "governmen
. by representation" in the manage
ment Of its affairs? Why shoul'
it throw organization to the dogs
and submit to the wild rule of th
Populistic mob? Who is respon
sible and who can be held respon
sible for the action of the mob?
/ In the representative form tn
agents can always be held respon
sible for mistakes and misrule, an
If their acts are not satisfactory
change of agents can be made b
the people that elects them.
Il Then, the matter of expense
not the Insignificant item the pr
mary election advocates would hay
us believe. It is very seriou
! matter, as none but rich men ca
! put their claims before the peopl
! by the primary election method
! The poor man, be he ever 80 pops
! lar, worthy or competent, canns
: successfully compete with none,
! bags, who can spread himself b
! fore the people in demagogic q
I dresses and newspaper puts.
81 Our confrere also seems to |
! somewhat confused in his ideas .
I to who makes the nomination, an
! who pays the bills in primary an
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