Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1915-01-22

under the apprehension that they
were wiser than their successors
were to- be- Therefore, the constitu-
tion which they framed was made OF
a higher quality than any laws to be
passed by their successors, except
under almost impossible circumstan-
ces, the agreement of the legislatures
OF tWo-thirds OF the states America
has ever since bcon tripping on this
stumbling block. IS is time it was
kicked out Of the way Why should
our early statesmen take such trouble
for US. We are as competent to gov
ern ourselves as they were. BY de-
nying to our laws equal validity With
the ones they framed into a consti-
tuition, they assert that we are not.
But if our constitution were cap
able Of amendment by majority vote
OF Congress, and we suffered by such
gusts Of popular passion as they
feared we would, we would be the
| sufferers and not they, but we would
have the opportunity of righting our
/ mistakes as easily as they were made,
which is not now the case.
The Bundeerath system may be
termed q pclyocracy, or govern
meni oi the many Essentially, it is
an aristocracy on good. behavior, an
aristocracy holding its job at the
pleasure OF democracy. 1t owes ITS
effectiveness TO its unification OF tho
three functions which are separated
in the American government, and to
its power being as great as the power
OF any body that went before it.
VIVA, We H0vo Learned From
German Institutions.
min r4lo ~ fr1~
ve-executive-judicial unity in one
body has been adopted by the Ameri-
can government in the management
OF railroads, in the form OF an Inter-
state Commerce Commission Here
q small body Of men make rules af-
focting railroads which are really
laws, enforce those rules and hear
appeals on the subject, few OF which
pass to 4 higher court. This body is
striking example Of the effective
ness Of the system. Ii accompanies
more with less effort and greater dis
patch and satisfaction to all con-
cerned than any department Of the
American government. II is the
Bundesrath system applied to rail
roads and here for once in America,
it works.
Another m0mentous application OF
the principle is found in the Ameri-
can cities which have adopted the
so-called commission system OF gov
ernment. This system consists in
delegating all the municipal powers
to board of five commissioners, who
pass the laws, execute them and pass
judicielly upon their Interpretation
TO certain extent
Real effectiveness ia Government.
So effective has the system proven
that several hundred Of the most
progressive cities have adopted il
within q few years time.
The same principle is applied in
primitive communities OF miners.
where miners meetings act with
full powers, and such communities
arc well governed until the regular
system Of government is substituted
therefor.
There can be no doubt of the
superior benefits Of the system over
all other forms Of republican govern
ment other nations must give way
to Germany until they adopt some
equally effective method Of ascertain
ing and carrying out the viii Of the
people.
Ii is no criticism of the principle
to show that Germany on account OF
gerrymandering and the property
qualifications Of voters in the king
dom, is not governed so much by uni
versal suffrage as by property. Even
though one million voters because
Of their means and particular loca-
tion overbalance 100000 not so.
we'll situated the system is not rend-
cred ineffective The viii Of tho
million is ascertained and carried
into effect. The question between
the one and the six million is one o.
the qualifications necessary to en-.
franchisomcnt. Wero the 100000
to gain complete enfranchisement at
stroke, as did the American
negroes, the system would still be
there to ascertain and carry into
effect their Will, whatever it might
be.
And, incidentally, taxation with
out representation really demands
property qualifications. Personal
liberties have long ago been ostab-
lished. Enfranchisement without
property qualifications is really
taxation (for property owners) with
out representation, for to overbal-
anco the property owners who are
, the taxpayers by the votes of those
who have nothing and TO impose
taxes on them which by no means
they could oppose, is in truth tax
alton without representation.
The question OF who is to be en-
franchised, however, Is different
question from the question Of the
form Of government and quite aside
from it. It is matter of purely
conflicting interest.
Collective Efficiency
The German system, however, does
not end with promptly ascertaining
the win Of the people. II has par
ticularly efficient system Of carrying
it into effect, termed collectively, the
bureaucracy.
The Kaiser through the Imperial
Chancellor has the appointment OF
all public officials OF the empire AS
King Of Prussia he appoints all
Prussian administrative officials.
Other kings similarly aDDOint the