Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1911-12-31

American people subjected their
brothers OF the South to Infamous hui
initiation, denied them their political
rights and sought 10 subject them 20
the rule OF their late slaves. and the
American congress wickedly withheld
from the supreme court Jurisdiction
over certain reconstruction acts
which were confesscdly unccnstitu-
ltional ! believe The world Is grow
irg more tolerant but anl pain
fully aware that its progress IN this
respect Is at snail's pace. A mere
forty years of time has not broadened
and refined MS 10 the extent that We
may abandon the safeguards erected
for the protection Of minorities by
sections, states. communities and
groups of individuals.
Some of us seem TO have forgotten
even Texas history and the occasion
of the states heroic struggle against
denial OF local legislative rights.
IL is important for the people and
public men as well as school children
To remember Goliad-remember the
Alamo" Not all the wars for liberty
are fought upon the battlefield. II
peace hath her victories no less re-
nowned than war she has. also. her
perls-no less real because they dc
not appear in martial array.
! have implicit faith in the wisdom
OF the mass of the people when they
larc informed and when they act with
deliboration. but fear maiorities as
much as ! tepr yrants when MAORI
ties are possessed Of the notion that
their rights are superior C. coustitu.
tions and 20 the reserved rights D.
individuals and communities. In on,
limpatience 90 DO a particular thing
which We desire. and In cur adulaticn
OF the popular viii, We seem to have
forgotten that the people themselves
deliberately provided in their consti-
tuition. which is their supreme law
and the only law OF their own max
Ing, certain restrictions against them.
selves in order that they might not in
moments OF rashness do injury TO
the weakest among them
Need for Sober Judgment.
| have always favored the election
OF United States senator's by the PEG.
pie instead OF by legislatures, but
doub the wisdom OF the refoim II
plurality of one party is TO control the
party thereby to control tho state.
and thus to effect the paradox of
minority rule in democratic govern
ment. Unless this danger can be
.a,erted prefer a legislative umpire
to determine factional candidates.
and to prevent the ascendency of poll
tics which q majority OF the people
oppose but to which they may be com.
mitted by the device Of party rlurali-
" control.
Honorable ambition commands my
admiration, but 1t is the public SER
vice and not personal preferment
Which should concern the people and
they should preserve the means of
exercising their own discratien in
representative council or otherwise
Whatever abuses may have develop
ed In other states, none has develop
cd in Texas to require the utter aban.
donment of local autonomy. and rep
resentative responsibility Indeed,
in the character Of her public men
and in the accomplishments Of her
public service Texas presents proud
or record than any state OF rev and
multiplied political devices can boast
and while We should not set our
faces against progress we should be
sure that proposed changes may not
work more evil than good.
! have not lost faith In the wis.
dom of legislative constituencies act.
ing through their representatives
and ! believe that they may he safe.
ly trusted TO choose a United States
senator, and believe that these rep
resentatives, responding TO the will
of their constituents, will be above
and beyond Establishment by self
seekers or coercion by plnralties.
We cannot devise an automatic
system of good government. We
must rely always upon the intelli-
gence, the virtue and the sober judg-
-lent OF the people. and of these
three the most important in political
method Is sober Judgment for 80
long as human nature Is frail and
prone to impulse wisdom will come
only through reflection. There need
he no fear that the people Of Texas
will not rule wisely II they preserve
the means Of acting upon understand
Ing and with deliberaton. They may
disappolnt the ambitious. but they
will not disappoint themselves
CLARENCE OUSLEY.
Bishop kcilcy'S ,Sth Anniversary,