The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-02-02

his constituents want GONE.
Matter Of Conscience.
DO YOU ask whether / think he
ought 10 violate his own conscience
in doing what 1T thinks they want
done No, no man Will go father
than | in respecting the conscience;
/ would not have any legislator here
or anywhere, say n word or cast
one vote in violation or his consci-
ence. but l would suggest this. that
whenever a legislator finds that he
connot conScientiously do what his
constituents want done he ought 10
resign and let them select somebody
who can without violation of his con-
science do What they want done In
other words, l do not that in
representative government any legis-
lator has a right TO put his consci-
ence above the conscience Of the peo-
pie for whom he speaks. tAppiause).
And my observation is hat whenever
a man does so he has other than a
patriotic reason for doing SO. for a
patriotic reason never ieads a man
to do things for his own advantage at
the expense of his constituents, n
my observation is that h man who
does things against the wishes OF his
constituents, knowing it, does it for
himself and not from a conscientious
regard for his duty.
Opinion Based on Experience.
AAo lin ~ ~ 1SSAA
ty-five years OF quite intimate &C
quaintance with public affairs, and
that acquaintance extends through
many States and to the national cap
ital, and my answer to the question
whether a mar ought to follow his
conscience or do what his constitu-
nts ask, is that he ought to follow
his conscience and hold office as
long as he can DO what his constitu-
entc ask, and when he cannot do
what they ask hen he ought to fol
low his conscience into private life
and let somebody else represent his
constituents.
Il know of no other way to settle
this question, and l think it is always
safe for a man to give his conStitu-
ents the benefit Of the doubt and not
attempt to do for them h they dc
not want done.
Makes His Mistakes. Yes.
"Win constituents not make mis-
takes OF course they will.
would be the last one, after the e X
perience / have had in public life t6
say that the people would not make
a mistake at the polls daughter ano
5 applause). But l would be the las1
say what they please at the polls an6
: take the responsibility for it. CAP.
? plause). So I desire to suggest il
the beginning that there are two def.
~initions of representative govern
ment: one is democratic and the 9th
er is aristocratic, and I am on thu
. democratic side of every definition
and not on the aristocratic side.
The aristOcratic idea of represen
tative government is hat the few
know more than h many and tina
e the few ought to do what they thinl
+ ought to be done regardless Of tn
S opinions of the many. Now that i
/ - ~;~1% - IS
[ think a man in private life ough
to follow his own conscience an
judgment, # he stands alone, blu
Y when he enters public life and be
e comes a servant Of the people he ha
o no right to put his judgement agains
the peoples judgement, and h
doesn't do that before the electio
(Laughter).
, Before and After Election.
Il have no faith in the honesty G
# the public man whose conscience hih
Ie ernates in a campaign and becom
active only when he has been elected
h when a man tells me that he consci
entiously does what his constituent
do not want done he finds me skepti
cal as to his purpose. for if he is cor
scientious he will not embezzle powe
&c and the embezzlement Of power is
o greater crime than the embezzlmer
J. Of money (Applause).
POWER Is so mucn more lmpOrtar
than money, authority is so muc
II more important than dollars, thu
Dc millions of the best and the brave.
re who ever lived nave given their live
Of that the people might have a rigf
IT to control their own government, an
in these men nave died in vain if, aftt
you have secured representative go7
s. eminent, a representative can betra
he his people and do what he know
they do not want done.
We Representatives Should DO.
30 Tell me that constitutions are il
tended to restrain those in authori-
who act for the people. Yes, 81
who made the constitution? The pc.
pie themselves. And why do peop
&c put into constitutions clauses that r
strain the peoples representative.
IT, In order that they may deliberate,
,ct order that the people may not
u y-A,< Ao,1l