Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-29

stagnant In proportion as he listens
with kindly interest to what they re-
port TO him. the fame of his con-
sidcration for those who are often
rapidly, and to his manifest advan-
tage.
THE REAL OFFICIAL.
1t is, moreover, the business OF the
public servant to inaugurate feasible
plans for the practical realization OF
tho reforms which his constituents de-
sire. He Is not 10 be mere echo OF
public sentiment, but real official
one who seeks to crystalline the sentl-
ments and hopes OF the people Into law
md into practise. And while, under
our form Of government, he Is limited
TO making those reforms which The
people have actually approved or have
made Into law, he Is not precludcd
from presenting others and explaining
their merits In such ways as to secure
public acquiescence in these new meas
ures. In executive matters he Is fol-
lower of the public Will. in future
policies, he Is the leader OF public
opinion. the awakcncr of the public
conscience. 1t is this function of the
public official which is the most ded-
cate and is likewise the most fruit
full. The world of politics Is the
sphere of change, OF growth. OF evolu-
ton The public official should be one
OF those who interpret the signs OF the
times and who point the way TO high
er things and better conditions. His
routine work tends to fixcdness, uni-
formity, and certainty: his work as Il
leader and insplrcr OF public policies.
Is an expression OF his adaptability to
changed conditions. and a measure of
his Willingness and preparedness to
meet the new issues as they arise.
HlnCn no ha Off oh
server of the progress OF events; he
must know about experiments in gov
ernment that are being tried in other
places. and should be able to form
some general conclusions as to the
desirability of introducing these meth
ods at home. Hence he must keep
his mind open, and should daily re-
new his intellectual life from the best
that is being said or done on this great
problem OF civil government intended
to be conducted by and for the people
VOX POPULI VOX DEL.
1t Is important that the public Of
ficial shall never permit the influence
and the patronage. and much less the
so-called spoilS. OF his office, to b..
used as a means of silencing the voice
of the people. "Fox populi vox del"
the motto that for all practical pur-
poses in a republic. the voice of the
pepplS lS tne voice OF GOd'-What be-
comes OF such a motto and of the great
facts that inspired Its utterance. II the
voice of the people. in this case 'the
word of Cod can be hushed or per-
verted by trickery or partisanship on
the part of those who have sworn 10
uphold and to advance the ideals OF
the nation? To take simple example
school trustees might SO conduct .helr
office as to deprive the teacher. whose
salary they fix or whose employment
they may terminate of his rights as a
citizen. They might attempt to make
impossible his duty as a citizen by
denying to him the inalienable right
of expressing his judgment upon the
merits of any proposition to be sub
mitted to the people for their suffragcs
In this they would be guilty of tyranny
towards n fellow citizen and OF trea- |
son to the highest ideal of the re-
public itself The teacher is supposed
to be a thinker, a student an inVes-
tigator; IL he IS not he ought to be
OF all men he might well be supposed |
able to form an intelligent judgment !
proposed policies Of gov
ernment whether state, local. or no !
tional, To attempt to deny to the vot- |
ers their right to hear any ones views.
In case they wish to hear them or TO
attempt to smother any ones voice or
still his pen, in case he should decide /
to use either upon any matter of public |
policy or upon any aspect of political |
theory or practise. would be to strike
at the root of popular government by