The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-04
FEWER ELECTIVE OFFICES ES-
SENTlAL no POPULAR RULE.

FEWER ELECTIVE OFFICES ES-
SENTlAL no POPULAR RULE
| OF all the crimes committed In the
name OF the people. none IL greater
than misleading them into acting
against their own interest under the
deiusion that they are charging their
rights and liberties. Deceived by the
crafty clamor Of demagogues. the PEG.
pie have time after time surrendered
their welfare to the selfish manipula-
ton Of the few, but the surrender
was always because the people were
made to believe that they were in
creasing their power. As Burke put it..
1.-The people never give up their liber-
ties but under some delusion."
shall the people ruler cry the
enemies Of popular government In V'r-
gina at this hour. in their attempt to
persuade the people to vote for the
proposed constitutional amendments
which would permit unlimited tenure
Of ONCE to city treasurers and city
commissioners Of the revenue. The
electorate il being deceitfully led to
believe that the present constitutional
limitations upon the tenure. Of city
treasurers and city commissioners OF
the revenue are restraints upon the
rights and liberties Of the people
obstacles to rule Of the people. Edi-
torial demagogues. either constitu-
tionally misinformsd or Intentionally
misleading. have circulated this false
and deceitful impression. and have
doubtless deluded many Of the peo-
pie into thinking that they are de-
prived OF freedom because two city
officers under the present Constitution
have limited terms.
The fallacy of this demagog'c clamor
lies here: the measure of popular lib
erty is not the number Of offices filled
by popular election. That government
Is not the most democratic which has
the longest ballot or the largest list
Of elective Offices. A genuine popu-
lar government is one in which only
those offices are elective which are
important enough to attract and merit
public examination. and n which few
elective offices are filled by election
at one time, so that ample public ex-
animation may be had Of the can
didates offering. Many adm Illustrative
offices require only clerical ability. and
in such omces the people cannot be
expected to interest themselves. If
the people are not interested. the Of
fice should not be filed by election,
because, II the ONCE is SO filled. the
incumbents often take advantage OF
the peoples lack Of attention to them
and perform their duties tnemciently
and detrimentally to the public good.
What is there about the ohices of
city treasurer and city commissioners
Of the revenue that IL Interesting to
the people! What can candidates for
these positions do to show their Mt
ness over rival claimants for the po-
sftions? What can any candidate
promise more than routine efficiency?
The people are never interested in an
office which caa be conducted in only
one way. The question at the polls
narrows down a. to which candidate
shall draw the salary.
Too many obscure ofiices are now
elective The more obscure and unin-
terestinS to the people the Office. the
weaker the control Of the people over
it. Only important ofices should be
elective, ofices large enough to focus
upon themselves the attention OF the
people. Ofices which require that ex-
pert administration which can only
be secured by tho immunity Of the
ofieeho,der from Political interference
should be surrounded By that immu-
nifty. The people cannot Be deiuded
by demagogues II the confusion
caused by multiplicity OF elective Of
fees to be nlled cease to exist: they
cannot be uisied II they free from po-
lit,cal control those ofices which can
not be justly administered unless d.
yorced from political influence.