The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-05-01
KINDS OF CRITICISM

Sioux City Journal-There is a diff
ference between criticism of the gov
eminent and criticism of officials in
that government. The two sorts are
being confused even among those who
assume leadership in thought. 1t is
well to mark the difference in the
things criticised as well as the pur.
poses sought to be accomplished by
them. Criticism of the government is
an attempt to destroy it by undermin-
ing public confidence in its functions.
II seeks to tear down that which ex-
lists and to erect in its place one which
is different. The government itself
can do no wrong. If il outgrows the
conditions which it was intended to
meet, provision is made for changing
il in an orderly and legal manner
This elasticity is the great principel
of a developing democracy. But the
agencies provided alone must be used
10 accomplish this end. New ones
from without. if used for that purpose,
are destructive Of the principles which
guarantee protection Of life, liberty
and property.
CRITICISM of officials, whether it be
the president of the United States, a
member of congress or a state execu-
tive. is not inimical to the govern,
ment itself. The agencies which car
~ out the government, being human
and fallible, may err. They may seek
to do within the government that
which the majority of the people be-
lieve is wrong BY criticism of snch
acts, by weighing the d~elinQuencies
chargable TO such officials and the
merits of their acts in contrast with
those desired by the people, a bal
ance of right and justice is reached.
II the officials are in error, they are
removable within limited periods by
the action of the voters at the polls.
But removing such officials by the cleo
ton in their stead of others who hold
different views does not change or
Z CftA HOohNb NhS nv AtoNAi'
The criticism OF the officials is lot di.
rected against the constitution, but
against those who administer under
that constitution. The government
remains immutable. Only the admin
istlltion curse is changed by a
change in officials. Criticism within
the government and against those
charged with its conduct thus pro.
duces a condition in harmony with the
demands OF the majority. or else it
gives a new lease of power to those
in authority which also must be In
harmony with the majority ideas.
Criticism of officials may be unfair
or unjust or not founded in fact. If
it is, the criticism fails to accomplish
it's desired purpose. 1t only aligrs
those who believe it is just against
those who believe tits unjust, so that
thereby the will OF the majority is de
termined. There Is no denial Of the
fact that evils grow up in any govern
ment. Men incompetent for the tasks
committed to them create. weaknesses
which selfish interests will abuse.
Men with wrong views on public ques-
tons, or who are influenced by pro
vincialisms and local environment,
fail to comprehend the needs OF an
entire great nation Their delinquen-
cies must be brought to public atten-
ton through criticism. Upon the facts
presented in the criticism and defense
of their acts, the public sits as a jury
and measures the merits Of the case
before 1t. No attempt is made TO over
throw the government and establish
a rule of disorder and anarchy instead.
No revolution results. The govern
ment remains sacred and undefled. II
is purged of it's weaknesses in ad-
ministration just as Christ purged the
temple of the gamblers and money
changers.
There if a difference as great as the
distance or the poles between seek
ing the ueltdl VI a CdlAuiuoeo NJ
election to public office because ne
stands for things not Endorsed by his
constituents and that Of declaring be
cause the candidate is not In harmony
with the views OF the people, the gov
eminent must be torn down and a new
ona erected in which by some trick OF
legerdemain 1t will be impossible to
have such misrepresentation. The
criticism OF the government Is anar.
chy. The criticism Of oficials is the
by which democracies keep
themselves purged Of dangers and pre-
serve the fountains of Justice and lib
erty pure and wholesome. Even IN
the United States senate this dihe'-
ence III not understood. Senators hold
that cr1ticdsm Of the president is crit
icism of the principles Of the govern
ment. They do not recognise tina
basic principle OF democracies that the
sovernment cannot be wrong. but that
those who administer It may be.