The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-11-15
BURTON |. FRENCH
ON GOVERNMENTS
IDAHO CONGRESS ADDRESSES
TEACHERS ON VARIOUS
FORMS IN THE WORLD.

| Continued From Saturdays Daily
away from the old ideals Of manar-
chial institutions and thru the educa-
tion of the people demonstrates to the
world that a people can rule and gov
ern themselves, can elect their chief
administrative officer and legislative
bodies that are truly representative OF
! the people.
War, and Fortuitous Circumstances
| One dislikes to think of the we'll
being of an individual, much less of
great people being determined by the
shaking of dice, or by any fortuitous
circumstance. Yet one must be blind
who does not recognize that govern
ments oftentimes find their establish
ment resting not primarily on the
basis of any of the considerations l
have discussed, but upon the mere
chance of a imam on horseback" who
at the right moment for himself ush-
cred in new type of rule. The fall
ure of Bleutcher to come to the sup
port of his ally at the Battle Of
Waterloo, turned the tide of victory,
overthrew Napoleon and in degree al
most beyond imagination, determined
The success of Charles Martel,
thousand years before, determined
not only the government of Europe
rensky who was the nominal head of
the Republic of Russia, after the pow
er had been swept from the hands of
the Romanoffs, and Prince Looff, was
less crafty, less dictatorial, less con-
cid nf tbo of 10
people of Russia, less willing by
brutal and arbitrary means to assert
himself and to hold the power, than
Lenine and Trotsky were and these
considerations determined for the
time being that the republican gov
ernment in Russia should be passed
over to the rule of tyranny again
this time the tyrant rising from the
mob instead of being chosen from the
royal house.
Fortunate is it that people of all
lands, sometimes only after the ex-
penditure of many lives and other
sacrifices, can in their civilization re-
gain their poise and in spite of for
tuitous circumstance that has usher
ed in an arrangement of government
that is not wholesome, gradually
work out a government that is worth
while. People who are educated will
not long submit to tyranny; people
who are enlightened will not permit
the rule of Danton or a Robespierre
to continue without end.
Tendencies in the Matter of Structure
and Selection of Officers
What | have said with regard to
conditions that I believe determine
and have determined the kinds of
government of the world hold good
IN the matter of determining the ten
iencies of government. Let US con-
slider for a moment the tendency of
government touching the structure
and selection of officers | have al
ready indicated the wonderful change
that has gone on during the last $50
years, in the substitution of republi-
ian form of government for monar-
chial. Within republican forms of
government there has been going on
and today evolving the phenomenon
If change
Take as an illustration, the presi-
lent of the United States. You will
'ecall that under the Constitution as
t was first written and as it found
application until 1904, the president
al electors provided for, were given
authority to vote for two persons for
PRESIDENT of the United States; the
me receiving the highest number of
'otes to be the president, and the one
ecelving the next highest number of
Totes to be vice president. Under
hat system it could we'll happen, as
t did, that the president would be
member of one political party, and
nd the vice president, the member of
mother. In 1904, an amendment to
he Constitution was passed changing
hat system and giving to the presi-
ential electors the duty of voting for
ne person for president and for an
ther for vice president, and it is al
nost inconceivable under this system
hat both the president and vice pres
dent should not be members of the
anne political party
But that is not the only change that
as taken place. 1t was in the minds
the trainers of the Constitution
nd doubtless in the minds of people
enerally at the time the amendment
D the Constitution to which | have
eferred was approved that the pres
lential electors would exercise from
nem and the people of the United
tates choose thru the conventions of
ne several parties the persons that
1ey believe should be voted for by
ne very ones defined by the Consti-
ltion as having the choice. Conven
ons nominate the candidates; cleo
)rs vote for them But that is not
Ii. You witnessed during the pres
Mt year in the several states of the
nion at primaries which were held
le people indicating their choice as
, what particular candidate within
ne or the other of the great parties
1ould be supported by the delegates
, the National Convention for the
ffice of president Here then is
1rther tendency in government a
,ndency to take away from any small
roup the responsibility of determin-
lg large matter and the placing
lat responsibility with the elector-
te. And in the matter Of choosing
overnors of the several states the
rircin1a to which have refarred