Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-31
Government by the People.

1t will have to be confessed that
there has not been a great deal In
the politics of this country for good
many years to inspire the rising gen.
Grafton to look forward with a great
deal of enthusiasm to the idea OF
taking up the reins of government;
but still it must not be forgotten
that existing institutions have been
established only at the expense OF
rivers of blood, indiscribable priva-
tions and suffering. and patriotism.
the like of which has never been de-
veloped in any other country.
To a greater extent than is to be
found elsewhere on earth, the gov
ernment of this country is in reality
a government by the people. Theo-
retically the people govern them
selves through representatives: but
actually their government is more a
matter of individual initiative. They
make laws, it is true, and sometimes
try to enforce them: but such laws
as do not meet the approval Of the
tie. BY individual citizens. of course,
we mean the cOncensus view of a
neighborhood. Laws that do not find
approval in a neighborhood almost
may as we'll not have been made.
That a country can govern itself
in this manner with reasonable order
illness speaks we'll for the people OF
that country 1t means that the ma
jority of them are content to do that
which is right as between man and
man and that few individuals are in
clined to trespass on the rights OF
others. 1t means that the do unto
others as you would have them do
unto you" spirit has reached a re-
markable stage of development, and
that after all very little government
is really necessary.
But still the people are in need of
representatives and leaders. No gov
ernment has ever yet reached such a
high state of perfection that there
is no longer room for more improve
ment. 1t is not given to human be-
ings to be content here below, and the
all important matter is that progress,
and there will always be progress one
way or the other, should be in the
right direction-upward. To ensure
this leaders should be selected from
among those people who, with the
most untiring persistence and the
loftiest motives are continually aspir-
ing to that which is highest and best.
We would not be understood as urg-
ing young men to go into politics, as
politics are generally understood. 1t
will have to be admitted that the poll
tician of the present day does not
measure up in even most of the moral
virtues to the standards of the aver
age self-supporting citizen. Most of
them are exceedingly selfish, seeking
only the destruction of rivals and the
promotion of their own interests.
Emphatically, however, this does not
apply TO all. There are as good men
in politics as there are in any other
Ndlh VI lllSb anu VIC oi PiSoiSNN W ~
that we could point out a number of
them in this county of York.
But the sole object of this article
is to call the attention of the young
men of today that each and every one
of them should give as much atten-
ton as possible not necessarily to pol
itics; but to government. Every in
dividual should make it point to
know all he can. not only as to how
the government under which he lives
is managed; but how it ought to be
managed, and he should make 1t his
special business to familiariZe himself
with the working of every separate
part of the governmental machinery.
There is no better way of keeping Of
ficers up to the highest standard of
efficiency, nor is there a better way
of improving and perpetuating the
good government we are now enjoy
ing.
If on the other hand the public at
large begins to neglect to keep itself
informed as to the manner in which
the government is administered that
government is certain to fall entirely
into the hands of professional poliu-
clans who will administer it solely
for their own benefit, and the public
will surely suffer for it's neglect.