Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1913-11-07
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Emporia, Kan, Gazette.

UoOu-Uy, boSS. OOoQ LUCK, o1u
Top,' writes Perlee Burton in the
Joplin News Herald the day after the
city voted to adopt the commission
orm Of government. The sentiment
is commendable. And SO far as that
goes, the enthusiasm behind it is par
dcnable. After every election i'll
which man wins, he is likely to
| think the millennium is at hand.
| But it ism It. The commission form
of government is good thing. But
it is only as good as the people who
use it. No form Of government makes
a better government than the average
intelligence Of the people who live un-
der it. The best thing about the COM
mission form of government is that it
takes few Of the hands off the peo
Pic, and makes it possible for them
to fight the boss with more freedom
'han they had under the old form. In
that it is like the primary, the initi-
alive and referendum and the recall.
! Bit those democratic forms of govern
mcnt will not overthrow the boss, un-
less the people desire this overthrow
with intelligence, unselfshness, per-
s,stence and courage. If they have
these qualities the boss will go under
any form of government, but these
democratic forms make the weight OF
the boss rather easier to lift than it
is under the old form.
/ And even after the boss is gone
good government will not automatic
ally follow. Good government is the
result of continued, sane, sclf-sacri-
ficing, shrewdly directed effort Of the
people. If the people divide in fac
lions, if they vote for good fellows
who need the offices, if the people
vote their church, or the party or their
friendships, good government will be
a Pickering mirage under the commits
sion form Of. government just as it is
ander any other form of government.
The thing that the commission form
Dies, and the thing that all of these
modern forms of democratic govern
ment do, is to give the people the
weapons. If they shoot in the air, or
at themselves, or let the weapons
rust, or blow up-the fault is with
the people. Nevertheless man who
has faith in his fellowmen, who be-
licvcs that while they are human, and
prone to err, they will correct their
brors in time must support all erason.
able measures that will give the peo-
Pc the responsibility that comes with
power. For only as they have that
powerful responsibility will they learn
to use it. They may play hob for a
time, they may run amuck-and some
. times they will-they may do stupid
and dishonest things, for the people
are individuals multiplied; but as they
pay for their mistakes, they will make
fewer of them. The history of the
mass is the history of the man written
large. Progress is slow. But is also
is sure.
"Good-by, Boss, Good Luck, Old
Top" is a grand slogan for the morn.
ing after victory. But "Don't Forget
to Register, on the whole, is a better
motto for every day use.
In the long run, as Hamilton SO
truly said, "the general genius of gov
ernment,' must be trusted for real re-
suits. No government is fool-proof
And, on the other hand, few govern
! bents are So bad that brave, wise sin
cere men may not make themselves
felt for righteousness if they are in q
convincing, consistent majority, and
stay mad long enough. Faith in the
people is much like faith in God;
IS working hypothesis it is the only
Ray to get on happily in this life
But there are times when ones faith
in either God or the people meets
events which make him realize that
the scheme Of creation has . mighty
ide horizon, and that faith is only
sustained by more faith and more
faith and more faith.
When man gets that kind Of faiti
in God and tho people, he can "a
homo election night, start the phoao.
graph, and enjoy life until IL 10 time
to put out the cat, snd then lie dows
to pleasant dreams.