The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-09-29
MIR. BRYCES WARNING.

For Americans the most suggestive
opinions which were brought out at the
International Congress of Arts and
Sciences are those of James Bryce in
regard to the pernicious influences in
democratic government. Much empha-
sis will be laid, perhaps, on his recon-
mendatiOn for the disfranchisement of
officials: but stronger emphasis ought
to be given to what he says about the
greatest dangers which threaten polit-
ical life
OF course, the philosophy of govern
mental stability is contained in his ad-
vice that the public service ought to be
! kept pure, that the citizens ought to
! maintain conscientious WatchfulneSs
| over public business, and that the
citizens ought to do their whole duty,
| as individuals in everything which
/ concerns the state and the city. But
for the purpose of bringing about this
condition, his warnings as to the
dangers which confront a democracy
are invaluable.
| He says: The chief danger which
seems to threaten political life in our
and the tendency to abuse public au
tnority and public office for the sake
of private gain. This was a gross evil
under the despotsm and olgarchies of
former days, and an evil from which
it was hoped that a democratic govern
ment would deliver us. 1t has, how
ever, reappeared under new forms, and
in many countries it threatens the
honest and efficient working both of
the elective and of the administrative
machinery OF the nation
The implication mere is that. under
the abuses of full liberty, and through
the Indifference of voters, and perhaps
from an inability to compare the signs
of a growing despOtism in a democratic
form of government with the despo-
that the evils will fix themselves in
the modern system. Placing Mr..
Bryce's words against conditions, there
is reason to believe that his warnings
are we'll founded. His language is mod
crate, but it is not less significant
To students of history recent tend
encies are clear; they realize fully the
meaning of Mr.. Bryce's assertions. To
them it is obvious that the power of
wealth is modern manifestation Of
the power of a nobility; that is, when
the power of wealth is used to influence
the government, when it usurps the
power of the citizens. To them it is OBJ
vious that the abuse of public authori-
ty and that corruption in public office
weaken the foundato of democratic
government, or tend to build a demo-
cratic despotism by concentrating eX-
cessive authority in a system, and di-
minish the power of the voters. If the
tendencies were permitted to develop,
they would establish at last a govern
ment controlled by private wealth, or
a, popular government which would
differ from monarchy only slightly.
In the latter case there would be, in
stead of great personal authority,
great system authority.
AS Mr.. Bryce says, the people can
prevent a restoration Of the object
iOnable conditions of former times. He
says that they must keep the public
service pure and that they must main
tain a Watchfulness over public bust
ness. If this advice is followed the
democratic form of government will
realize all, or nearly all, that was hoped
when it won it's early battles.