Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-02-01

They are responsible TO him and sub
/ ject to removal at his hands. We
have thus centralized government
and at the same time subject TO other
limi. ations not essential to the present
discussion, government of the peo-
pie. So far as the executive is con-
cerncd, national administration is
simple, direct and relatively free from
the abuses which burden our State
governments.
When, however, we consider the
state we find ourselves electing a Gov
lernor and Attorney General for four
years, Comptroller for two years, a
Clerk of the Court OF Appeals every
six years, while, by curious anomaly,
the Treasurer Is elected By the legis-
laturc, and serves two years. II We
would have a truly popular govern
ment without imposing undue burdens
upon the people we would have our
Attorney General appointed, as is the
Attorney General OF the United States,
by the chief executive power, our Comp.
Itroller and Treasurer, who together
roughly correspond to the Secretary
Of the Treasury, appointed In the same
way, and the Clerk OF the Court Of
Appeals named either by the Cover
nor or preferably by the Judges theme
selves.
say TINT the people are asked % do
today what ia The nature ofthings can.
not be effectively done by them. The
Attorney General, the Comptroller and
the Treasurer may end themselvc. en-
tlrely out OF sympathy with the COVER
nor, approaching public questions
from different angle, and ready %
hamper him Ia the exercise Of his most
essential functions. This situation has
arisen at times in the past and it may
well again in the future, varying terms
OF Office and manner Of election con-
tributing 10 responsibility These
officers now form no part Of har
monious whole. No theory OF checks
and balances iustiiies their cholcc by
election as the relative success Of our
national administration shows.
when we turn 70 our county govern
ments 40 find the people called upon
TO elect Boards Of County Commits.
sioncrs, running from three TO SIX Ia
number, Judges Of the Orphans Court.
Judges, State Senators. tao 10 six
members 81 the lower house. County
Surveyor, Clerk 81 Tho Circuit Court,
| Register OF Wills. Statos Attorney.
sheriff, In many counties Road Com
missioners, In one q wrcekmastsr, and
possibly other officers. Every 0lhf z
year, therefore, the county elector H.
rxpecicd 70 vote FOR tiftecn or twenty
officers, making his choice among
thirty or forty different men: Of tbe
qualifications 81 three-iourth Of vhom
Tho average voter knows nothing, Of
ten cares less. and accepts his party
Label To call such government popu-
lar Is 10 make moekpry Of lhe word.
While The individual yotee 10 .
county ought 20 I've able % knoa some.
thing Of the qualifications by repaio
at least Of member Of tlie legislature
who expresses Tho policies the people
desire carried Into las hnd soneshing
as 20 lhc county commissioners she
are the chief executive officers Of the
county and should be made such iu
the fullest possible sense, be kbows
nothing as rule sith regard 70 the
candidates for the other officers aud Il
no, 80 placed that he may faitly Judge
wi,h regard 10 nlem HE has 10 take
largely on faith tha candidates for
states Attorney SIN greater faith
and Ignorance must be display IN 50.
lectlnR the sheriff, Judges 81 the or.
lphans' Court and County Surveyor
and Road Commissioners When We
speak, therefore, Of she breakdown %
popular government Ia On admlhissra
tive sense, We have la the backs Of our
heads The fact. though W mas not re-
. ali1c IL, that The people are undertake.
ing to do things Il Is physical nnd
moral inpossibllHy they should per.
form. They act a. Civil Service
/ Board upon the choice ~ men WHOM
they have largely never seen and pi
whose qualifications they have az
knowledge and possess bo means 81
testing.
, In some states the voter II offered a
meager assistance through the circulB-
ton by the state Of campaign pam
phlets IN which each candidate may
set forth what be assumes 10 be his
qualifications, but eyen this 70 must
! agree Is ineffective.
AZ this point comes in the machine
, TO relieve the voter OF bis troubles and
select his candidate. with the multi
plicily OF Offices TO be illed by the peo,
] pie tire machine serves an indispens'
able purpose, whether us work Is well
or badly done. The people must turn
: to those who make a study of the situa
( tion; know something OF the personnel
! o. those desiring election and Who viii
Judge for them. They accept theft
, judgement particularly IN those re
) spects in which the people have no es
pecial interest. The power 10 exercls'
/ this judgement for the people In an q
feciive way, has an Immediate casl
> value to the machine. II has some
! thing 10 give and can levy eontribu
tons upon those seeking offices whil'
: its control over the workers makes II.
support valuable. Thus. under tht