The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-03-20
COMMUNICATION.
Some r. Elections Regarding Re-
form in Political Methods. by
Chas. D. LaWtOn.

4
placency, as deserving of the politica
ascendency which we have so long main
tanned in the affairs of the county, fol
the reason that the candidates for pub
lie office, whom we have named in onl
conventions, have been so far accept
able to the people, that their election
has uniformly followed, and their admin
istration OF the duties of the severa
Offices which they have been chosen tc
ill have invariably met with general
approval.
10 all the years gone by, since the
republican party came into existence
the party has held an unbroken political
control 10 this county.
Now, Van Buren, county is not "way
back" benighted region; on the con
trarv, without undue self-assurance, we
safely esteem it county of much intel.
ligence, comparable, at least. upon foot
ing Of equality with other counties OF
Southern Michigan.
Surely, among such a people, it speaks
we'll for the character of the men whom
the republican party has nominated
to office that such action should ever
have been ratified by the people
Otherwise, il republican rule had been
unsatisfactory, il the men chosen for
office in the conventions that have been
held had not been honorable and eff
| ficient, speedily there would have been
contention, the rule of the party would
have been shattered, and instead OF the
uniform quietness and excellence ia our
political transactions, discord would have
arisen and there would have been inter
mittent ascepdency of parties and fac
tiors; an unfortunate condition which
prevails in many other counties Of the
state, but from which good old Van
Buren, has been thus far exempt
OF late we have heard much about
political reform. The reformer, with his
panacea for all our political woes, is
abroad in the land. One may hear, even
now in Van Buren,, of the multiplied
poll cal wrongs under which it is asserted
We have long been helpless victims And
then We are told how relief may come;
how we may inaugurate sort of polit.
ical millennium, by Il change in all our
methods of primary political action. Thus
while most of US were not aware that we
were greatly political sufferers, we are in
vited to change that shall relieve us
from the alleged wrongs and SORROWS
under which, for fifty years, we have un-
kno vingly struggled.
In future, according to the advocates
of the new dispensation, there is to be
no 'slating," no "caucusing," no pro
granting" Delegates to conventions or
candidates for office are to be selected
without any body's initiative. Politics is
to be a free for-al game; a system Of
reliance upon the wisdom, irmness and
goodness of men left to act individ ually,
everyone for himself, as contrasted to
their rascality, selfishness and dishonesty
when acting by represer tation.
There have always been those who
plan 20 regenerate society by "cock sure"
devices calculated, as they deem, to en-
force the rule of abstract virtue, and to
stablish the affairs Of men upon the
basis of abstract perfection.
But in truth, no sudden change in
the political methods of action in busy
community will revolutionize it's prac-
/ tees in the n ain. Since whatever the
methods pursued the outcome of its
political action will correspond to the
elevation of the moral sense of the COM
muuity. To it's apprecia ion of fairness
of action and appreciation of good con-
duct and the requirements of political
| honesty.
The general political life of commu-
nifty is surely the manifestation of its
social, moral and business conditions.
| The politics of community rests upon
basis comparable with the general
character of that community.
If there should be a change in our
political methods of choosing men for
office, those thus coming into power will
from necessity, tiud themselves, as do
those as now and heretofore chose n,
under the responsibility of leadersh p.
Since, if we are to have organization,
there must be leadership as VOL as there
must be followers A mob IN politics,
| in reform movement, AS Ia al. army ~
! time of war, cannot be efficient exec ut
through discipline under competent
leadership. Somebody must acquaint
himself with the strategy of the political
affairs, and must be in position and be
able TO enforce the tactics of political &C
ton. 10 other words, somebody or some
persons, when the policy is formulated,
must take the lead in carrying it forward
Naturally, the great body-the follow
ers-stand on the firing line, but they
must cause it to devolve on the few to
direct the action
In politics, as in everything else re-
curing the effort OF men to secure
action, there must be incentive; the
spirit and the interest of a large number
of persons must he stimulated. Politics
REQ uires a vast amount OF work to be
done for which no certain pay ment is
provided. The chief reward that accrues
to the majority Of the workers OF the
party il the satisfaction OF laboripR un-
der leaders whom they respect, in a cause
OF which they approve.
When elections are won the results,
80 far as any personal advantage arises,
must 90 to those who made the winning
a~hx T. o.onot ha avpected that thev