The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-15
ROOT ON PARTY FUNCTIONS
ONLY MEANS FOR CARRYING on
POPULAR GOVERNMENT.
Every Mans Duty to Ally Himself with Some
Party and Then to. Assist In the Man
aEement OF Its Affairs One Of the Most
Important Demands Of Citizenship.

Party and Then to. Assist In the MAN.
aEement OF Its Affairs Ono Of the Most
Important demands Of Citizenship.
NEW HAVEN, May 14.-Seeretary Of State
Elihu Root delivered the second in his series
OF lectures on the responsibilities Of citizen
ship at Yale tonight, speaking on The
Function Of Political Parties as Agencies
OF the Governing Body
He paid high tribute to President Eliot Of
Harvard and President Hadley Of Yale as
real contributors TO the science and practice
Of government and demonstrated that popu-
lar government was impossible without
political parties. He raped sharply the
so-called disciples Of Jefersonian principles,
and referred tothe measures they advocated
as temporary alterations. Bad political
conditions he attributed entirely TO the in
difference OF reputable men in political
matters and scored thoee who shirked their
political obligations as being willing 70 con-
tribute toward the wreck Of the Government.
He said in part:
We have now reached a point where the
question Is naturally suggested: How should
the citizen take part In the government OF
his country Given a young American
who has luet completed his academic rain
INK anu coatu hfo NANf VIM
who wishes to do his full duty as n citizen
In mainta;plng and improving his Gov
ernmentS where is he to hegip and what is
he to do2 2,
70 criticize lie not to do the work. The
preservation and development If civiliza-
ton require Affirmative forces; the real work
OF life Is constructive: criticism is destructive.
There are many people whose idea Of duty
is 10 assign duties 10 Others, but for the most
ba n thafr AHnrfS.ara n mere waste Of words.
IL Is plain that the true way to begin an
active part IN the affairs of government Is
not by being elected or appointed to orhce;
that should always be a result rather than
a b BEGINNING Of interest. activity, experience
and proved capacity in the Affairs OF gov
eminent.
can you ina CINE all the 1907, 900 voters Of
the state Of New York, for example, going to
the polls on an election day with no previous
concert OF aqtlon, bit each determined to
vote for the man who of all his acquaintance
seems TO him the best to I'll the position?
such q method OF conducting popular gov
erment is impossible.
There are certain distinct and fundamen-
tally oppoAed schools Of thoug ht and opinion
which range portions of the people on diff
fereRt sides OF many questions through long
series Of wears. Fd< example, the people Of
the United States during most of our national
existence have been divided between the
advocates of a strict construction and the
advocates Of a liberal construction Of the
Constitution. One would confne the powers
of the national Government within the mar
rowest possible limits: the other would find
in the Constitution all the powers that any
nation can have except as they Ore expressly
limited by the terms OF the Constitution. One
tends to carry the independence Of local self
government 10 an extreme; the other tends
to carry the GENERALIZATION OF national Govern
ment 10 an extreme. This fundamental diher-
ence Of vie has divided the people Of the coun-
try in a long series OF successive elections
upon many specific and important questions.
With these continuing questions and per-
manently divided schools of opinion the
association of the advocates of each opposing
view is bound to be repeated in many success
sive political campaigns. This association
is not occasional and fortuitous; IL is, TO a
great extent, predetermined and customary.
The men who entertain positive views upon one
side or the other Of the great political ques-
tions become known; they acquire the habit
of working together they rely upon each
others cooperation. The association is prac-
hcally continuous. because the process in
which the advocates OF these differing views
are eng 9ed is continuous.
Sometimes the lines which separate the
voters of the country upon one side or the
other OF a new question ruin across lines OF
cleavage bet ween the great parties. so that
great bodies OF voters dissolve their associs-
ton with an old party and form a new asso-
citation with another party. Occasionally
the attitude OF all existing parties is so un-
satisfactory 10 the people much interested
in a new question that they undertake TO
form a new party for the furtherance OF
their views on that particular question. Cen
orally, these attempts show that the people
who are interested by a particular new issue
overestimate it's Importance and their at
tennis to form a new party fail; but We have
had one signal example the other way-in
the formation Of the Republican party in
1854 bv the men who were not satisfied D." it'll
the attitude OF either the Democratic or the
Whie rarity In regard 10 the extension OF
slavery.
We often hear remarks made which indicate
an impression hat politicians are rather a
low set Of fellows, with selfish aims and cor
rupt practices, who manipulate party politics
for their own advantage, and that the less
self Prospecting gentlemen have to do with
them the bettet. If that is ever the case, and
Il undoubtedly lie the case at some times and
in some places. IL ia always because Al such
times and in such places political control is
allowed 10 80 by default.
Another reason or excuse for not taking
part in political affairs is the direct reverse OF
those that ] have mentioned IL lie that party
management is satisfactory; that matters 60
along very well, and that a mah does his duty
to his party II he supports its ticket with his
vote and perhaps contributes his fair share
toward the payment Of its expenses. This
~position can never be maintained.
None OF these reasons for not taking part in
party politics lie ordinarily the real reason.
The real reason 10 that men are unwilling 10
spend the time and the money and the labor
necessary for the due performance OF their
duties as citizens; tina: they prefer to at
tend 70 their professions, their business.
their pleasures, and allow others to govern
them rather than to take part in governing
themselves. They are willing 20 pursue a
course which, u shared In BY the. rest OF their
countrymen, would bring our constitutional
governments to en- immediate end. wreck our
prosperity and stop our progress.