The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-02-19
oNE-nax GOVERNMENT


4
President, Hon. Jonathan Bourne. Jrs
today gave out the following state
ment from its Washington Hoadquar-
tiers:
Tho Democrats party pat Mr.. VIII
son in the White House. Having made
use Of the party 10 attain his ambi-
ton the President promptly put il
aside, and proceeds 10 administer az
fairs Of government according TO his
own concepts. In his mind Congress
was useful merely rs a tool for the
purpose Of approving bills he submit
ted 10 il, thus fulfilling what to him
was but a technical requirement Of the
Constitution. The best minds in his
own party and elsewhere, in Congress
or out, were neither asked nor permit
ted TO give the Administration the
benefit Of their ability or experience
4 in the formulation and execution of
policies. Four years after his first
election he saw that it would be nee
essary once more TO make use Of his
party IL he was 10 continue at the head
Of the Nation. He brushed up his
acquaintance potent in political af-
fairs, invented a phrase calculated to
catch the ear il not the reason of the |
people, and managed once more TO
secure enough votes to give him an
other four-year lease on power. That
accomplished, he again shunted aside
the men who had rallied to his sup
port, and gathered the reins Of gov
eminent still more firmly into his own
hands. The war aided in concentrat-
ing in him alone the direction of all
Federal activities. From that date
Wilson has been the government and
the government has been Wilson.
"The people have rebelled at last
against continued autocracy, and have
determined that the next President
shall be a man not obsessed with the
idea that in him alone lies the correct
solution of every problem. He must
not be above taking and following adj
vice from others, nor in seeking 1t
when questions intimately affecting
the public welfare must be determin-
ed. A return to popular government
is what the people most crave, and the
candidate who presents the strongest
appeal in that direction will receive
the majority of the votes.
"And that is what warrants our
abiding faith in American institu-
tons. The people will not wait until
autocracy has secured such hold up
on the Nation that only bloody revo-
luton will shake it off. They express
their views before that time comes,
and in a revolution of votes throw off
yoke that has spelled the downfall
of many a nation not so imbued with
the spirit Of self government. His
tory is replete with examples Of gov
ernments whose peoples have been
humbled in the dust because of their
hesitancy in asserting themselves IN
der the spell of a single individuals
for control. Lust for person
al power has spelled the ruin not only
Of him who sought it but of the
people who submitted to his DONNA
ton.
"The German people today would be
q happy and prosperous nation but for
heir acquiescence in the passion of
heir kaiser for world domination.
There is no doubt that Russia is pay
ng the ultimate penalty for centuries
# autocratic misrule. Austria, even
lad she been free from German infu-
nee, would have suffered the fate that
overlook her because her people had no
loice in their own government. Other
Examples in modern and ancient his
DRY might be cited by the score 70
,rove the point. In each case the
has come from the insati-
lble appetite of an individual for pow
r, and his consequent denial Of rights
o his people.
"One-man government in the United
states has not goaded the people to
he point Of violence, but that is the
ogieal end of such rule if it is not
topped in time. Fortunately the
,eople will assert themselves next
November and choose man for their
,hief Executive who will not consider
imself "Ahe whole team" In the
Machinery which provides the means
or that popular expression, and in the
arty rivalry that stimulates the selec-
ion Of the best candidate, lies the
ecurity Of the Republic from disaster
-. A.. a.,.f ,..o.ss.,,,