The Vashon Island record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1916-1919, 1918-09-12

the entire bulk of the ignorant immi-
grafton from the old world entered
into the composition OF the Northern
populations. And, thirdly, there re-
suited difference which | admit to
be composite In its causes-that Is,
the difference in average wealth. Leav-
ing out Of consideration the capital in.
vested in slaves, the per capita valua-
ton of the states having the township
system was something more than
three times the average in those
where 1t was unknown.
The township is the shield and nur.
sery of individual freedom of thought
and action. The young citizen who
has never dreamed of political career
becomes interested in some local ques-
ton affecting his individual interests.
He goes to the township meeting, or
he appears at the townhouse upon
election day and appeals to his own
neighbors-those having like interests
with himself. He engages In the
struggle, hand to hand, and foot to
foot, with his equals; he learns con.
fidence in himself; he begins to meas.
ure his own power, and fits himself
for the higher duties and responsible
ties of craftsmanship.
II is the people that require to be
laid off in townships, not the land
Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, all have
their lands laid off in the PARALLEL
grams prescribed by the laws regulat.
ing United States surveys; but their
people are not organized into self-gov.
erning communes, and there is not to.
day an equivalent system of local self
government in those states. In some
cases there are lame approaches to it =;
but in none of the former slave states
were the counties made up of self.
governing subdivisions. The South is
today and always has been a stranger
to local self-government. In many OF
those states every justice of the peace
every school committeeman, every in
spector of elections is appointed either
by the chief executive of the state OF
by the dominant party in the legis.
lature. There may be the form OF
township, but the differential charac-
teristic is lacking-the self-governing
element of the township.
Take one state for an example
where the constitution adopted during
the reconstruction period introduced
the township system and authorized
the electors of each township to
choose their justices of the peace, con.
stables, school committeeman, and
other local officials. 1t permitted the
people of the county to choose board
of commissioners, who should admin.
lister the financial matters of the coun.
~, and in some Instances exercise a
limited judicial authority. But now
they have, in effect, returned to the
old system. The dominant party in
the legislature appoints every justice
OF the peace in the state. The justices
of the peace of each county elect from
their number the county commission
ers; the county commissioners ap.
point the school committeeman, the
road masters, the registrars of cleo.
ton and the judges of election; so
that every local interest throughout
the entire state is placed under the
immediate power and control of the
dominant party, although not one
tenth part of the voters of any par.
ticular township or county may be-
long to that party. In another state
all this power, and even more, is exer-
cised by the chief executive; and in
all of them you will find that the