The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-18
A Study of Governments



fully prepared and presented at the
time of the formation of the constitu-
ton, provided for a president elected
for life or during good behavior. for
senators elected for life or during good
behavior, or for governors of the sew
eral states appointed by the president
for life or during good behavior. No
one would propose such a plan at this
time, so great has been the advance
toward democracy. This growth Is in
dicated by the fact that the natfonai
house of representatives has four times
declared in favor of. the election of the
United States senators by direct vote
of the people and by the further fact
that more than tWo-thirds of the states
of thu union have by legislative action
declared in favor of this change. The
unpopularity of the latter part of Ham
ilton's plan, namely-the appointment
of governors by the president is shown
by the fact that territorial government
under which the governors are appoint
ed by the president, not for life but for
a few years, is deemed unsatisfactory.
The people Of a territory are always
wanting statehood, and the main rea-
son is that they desire to elect their
own officials.
The democratic idea is growing-the
term is not used in a partisan sense,
but in that broader sense in which II
describes government by the people.
There is not civilized nation in which
the idea of popular government is not
growing, and in all the semi-civilized
nations there are reformers who are
urging an extension of the influence of
the people in government. So universal
is this growth of democratic ideas that
there can be no doubt of the final tri-
umph of these ideas. Monarchies, at
first unlimited, are now limited, and
limited monarchies are recognizing
more and more the right of the people
to a voice in their own government
Monarchies and aristocracies tend to-
ward democracy, and republics terd to
become more and more democratic in
their forms and methods.
When the seed, planted In the earth,
sends forth the tender leaf and then
the stalk; when the grain appears upon
the stalk and supplies the bread neces-
sary for the support of our bodies, we
know that there is back of the seed
force Irresistible and constantly work
ing. AS irresistible and as ceaseless
in its activity is the force behind polit-
ical and moral truth. The advocates OF
the American theory of government
can. therefore labor with the confident
assurance that the principles planted
upon American soil a century and
quarter ago are destined to grow here
and everywhere until arbitrary p'iwer
will nowhere be known. and the voice
of the people will be recognized, il not
as the voice of God. at least, as Ban
croft defines it, as the best expression
of the Divine will to be found upon
the earth.
In republics. as in other forms or
government. there will at times be dis
turbances. but these come from iail-
ure TO recognize and respect the cur
rent of public opinion. If we stand ny
the side of a stream and watch 1t glide
past us. we can in safety listen 20 the
song of the waters, but If we attempt
to dam the stream, we find the water
rising above the DAM If we make the
dam higher still. the water rises still
more and at last the force OF the Cd
structed water is so great that no dam
made by human hands can longer stay
If Sometimes. when the dam is washed
away dana ge is done to those who I've
in the valley below, but the fault is not
in the stream but in those who attempt
tn obstr11ct it. So in human society
there is a current of public opinion
which flows ever onward. If LETT 70
have its way, it does not harm anyone
hut if obstructed, this current may
become a menace Al last TIC pDoeA "
ton must yield to the force OF the
current. In monarchies and aristoc-
racies the dam As sometimes built so
high that it must be removed by force
that the waters may have their way,
but in republics the ballot can be re-
lied uuon to keep the channel of the
stream open, or if obstruction is placer
there, TO remove it while yet it can be
removed with safety. The advantage
of a republic is that the people, through
their representatives are able to give
public opinion free play, and the more
democratic a republic is, the more near
" does it conform to the wishes of the
people.
No one can study the governments
of the old world without a feeling OF
gratitude that i'm the new world the
science of government has been carried
to its highest point, and that the peo-
pie enjoy the privilege, and bear the
responsibility. OF leading the world in
recognizing the right Of tire eople TO
devise and to direct the government
under which they are to work out their
destiny.
! Copyright, 1905, by Joseph B. Bowles-
Copyright in Great Britain-All rights
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