The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-06-24
What's the Matter With Politics?
BY RAY z. sRoWNELL.

American politics Is no longer a
subject for the student and the states
man but a problem for the citizen as
we'll. A vast library OF economic
texts are no longer necessary to ac-
quaint him with existing conditions
but a careful glance from the lawn
OF the court houses Of the state,
affords him a splendid field for OBJ
servation; then too that same citizen
might pause In the corridors OF the
several public buildings and lend his
ear to catch the drippings OF the
treasury leaks. Possibly he may mis-
take sounds and be In error In his
observations because the acoustics OF
those structures sometimes becomes
impaired by established methods and
practices. Perhaps those methods
have been In use SO long that he
must refer to his compiled statutes In
order to determine what the legal
fees and approved procedure really
is
Mr.. Citizen, you must be well armed
and thoroughly informed IL you would
invP these halls and draw proper
con. sions and correct deductions.
Thefe is multiplicity Of details to
identify and a We n OF real dipio-
macy and materin goodfellowship
TO meet in your proposed invesiga
ton. there are some arguments you
must answer and some dark excuses
made plausible before the real re-
wards and results of your search are
correctly gained.
S.lA hA ott
to make his search In order to sat
isfy his mind that he may vote In
diligently and thereby secure the
best public service. AS he enters
the building within whose walls are
certain Offices he would investigate,
he pauses beneath the dome OF the
new court house In his INDIGESTION.
then he walks into the first office.
meets the present incumbent and
makes known his purpose. That clev-
er Official informs him that he Is
most welcome to inspect the records
and files OF the office and make HIM
self thoroughly informed with exist
ing conditions, II he will only lend
enough time to enter into a thorough
investigation. But usually Mr.. Citl-
zen Is remarkably unacquainted with
the details of management and often
has been In pursuit OF an occupation
that marks him with more or less
modesty or rather real timidity, so
that by the time he has lighted the
cigar Just given him, he Is quite sat
isfied to accept the good word OF the
present incumbent and presently he
finds himself talking OF the approach
ing campaign and Its possible candi-
dates. Thus ends his search and
he votes with solemnlty as his con-
science dictates.
Or again perhaps our citizen wan
ders down the corridors OF a public
building into the ONCE OF an op-
pointee whose austerity the better fits
him for the dignity that Is his due.
This appointee owes allegiance TO no
one save the man higher up and be-
sides the wheels Of the machine are
easily creased with the oil OF good
fellowship when the time comes and
Il is necessary to AK things up SO
our friend usually finds a bewhisker.
ed gentleman with an air OF "awfully
busy. sir. what may do for you"
the citizen possibly becomes a little
weak In the knees and with a dry
cough says In an undertone-guess
I'm in the wrong ofhce--and goes out
into the corridor again, to see q sem
blance OF authority In the janftor who
has eyes TO the front.
Possibly the citizen seats himself
beneath the rotunda of the. county
capital OF In the hall OF the city
building, az the case may be. ard
falls to specializing not q little. He
is Just one OF the common voters out
OF many, without pull or real i'm.
portance in the political world; but
he owns a homestead and has a few
papers out, at interest. all OF which
matters stand at full value. on the
ward assessors roll and for years
this same citizen has paid his full
Iproportionate share OF taxes because
he has not seen ht 20 dodge the In
quiry OF the tar commission. Thus
he IL a tar payer and q citizen and
|! II is he who has come 20 the court