Newark post., 1914-03-04


cd the third of the series of lectures
under the history department, IL
College Oratory last Thursday at
teI'noon.
The speaker, who is an authority
of international reputation Oh
questions of government, held ms
hearers for over an hour to close
study of THE Legislative Caucus
in Its Relation to Party Govern
ment." The subject is, at this
time, particularly interesting to al
students of governmental problems
owing to the fact that the legisla,
tive caucus has been such an i'm.
portant instrument in party gov.
ernment at Washington during the
past year; it is an instrumentality
the reasons for existence and pow
ers of which we do not understand
Again its influence and operation
illustrate III the clearest manner
what is meant by party government
in democracy.
DR.. Willoughby defined popular
government as one, of whatever
outward form, which is subject to
the effective and continuous control
of public opinion, declaring where
there is not this popular control,
there is neither the possibility of,
nor the need for political parties.
The speaker illustrated the fact
that political parties are not essen
tial to popular governments by
reference to Switzerland, both in
the Federal government and in the
Cantons, where though they exist
they have no dominating control in
the administration of public affairs
Indeed throughout Europe gener-
ally, there is no state in which
party government exists in the
truest sense of the word. The par
ties that exist have no perfected
machinery; they are not able to
control the affairs of state.
In England where party govern
ment originated, the condition was
a forced one, rather, than one will
ingly adopted. The political liter
ature of the seventeenth and eigh-
teenth centuries is filled with crit
icisms of parties. They were char
acteriZed as diseases of the COM
monwealth, and a menace to popu-
lar government. This conception of
the danger of political parties was
carried to America. DR.. Willough-
by gave as an illustration Of the
sentiment that prevailed, extracts
from Washington's farewell ad-
dress, and references in the series
Of papers known collectively as the
Federalist.
A critical examination of the
federal and early State constitu-
tions shows clearly no expectation
that political parties would arise
and government be carried on
through them. The theory of pop
ular government held at this time |
was the very simple one that the |
people should select representatives
who should be not merely agents
acting under instructions to carry
out the wishes of their constituents.
but representatives in whose prob
ity and judgement the people had
confidence. These representatives,
vested with full powers, were to
vote irrespective of party affilia-
tions.
We all know this theory has
never been realized. Immediately
political parties arose. and made
heir partisan influence felt in all
departments of the government, I
md elaborate governmental ma !
,hineries through which the parties /
operated came into existence. Their ;
establishment has seemed necessary {
II order that the will of the people c
With reference to public affairs, t
nay be expressed. This method t
las resulted in Il government by a c
'art of the people-by majority q
rather than by the whole peo. /
lie. In many instances it has meant b
government by those few persons 5
Tho have secured control of the +
arty's machinery of government. o
he speaker mentioned in this con- t
ection the various devices which o
ave arisen to enable the voters of :
party to limit the control of the b
arty machinery. Mention was t
lade of the Australian ballot, civil s
2rvice reform laws, limitation and /
of campaign expenses, G
rimary elections, initiative, ref +
rndum and recall. n
The point which DR.. Willoughby
most emphatically was Il
ne fact that an acceptance of Ii
arty government must permit the e,
xistence of agencies by which gov D