Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-16
DEMOCRACY.
authority

Iii the people of the United States, on the eve
of the Republican national convention of 1920, had
been invited to guess-and a good deal of guessing
was done-who would be the conventions nominee
Tor president, and there had been a general re-
spouse, the name of Warren G. Harding would
have stood. if not near the bottom, at least far down
on the list. There would have been a similar re-
suit if the Re publicans of the country had been in
vited to choose their candidate by their own direct
and individual votes. Comparatively few people
knew that Mr.. Harding was a candidate, or that he
was seriously considered by any considerable num-
Der Of persons. Several other candidates were
known to the public, and some of them had strong
support and large following. The convention dis.
considerable measure of popularity, and selected
one who, for the purposes of such a campaign, was
obscure and almost unknown.
The people did not know Harding, and would
not have nominated him. But, Harding having been
nominated by a gathering which manifestlv paid
not the slightest heed to any existing evidence of
popular desire as among candidates, the people
elected him by the largest popular majority ever
given to a presidential candidate.
Were the people hoodwinked? Were they
coerced! Was the election a reputation of the
principles of democracy, a demonstration of popu-
lar hckleness and of incapacity for self government?
Nothing Of the sort.
There was presented a demonstration of real
democracy at work in the only way in which it can
work effectively amoung great numbers and over a
vast area. And there was given, a forcible ~illustra-
tion OF the difference between pure democracy and
representative democracy.
Pure democracy, the system under which all
citizens participate directly in all the acts of govern
ment, in which they vote directly on the enactment
OF laws and the selection of persons to administer
them, is possible only in so far as the participating
citizens can meet on common ground in intelligence,
Information experience, and all the elements which
contribute to the making of rational decisions. Be
that pure democracy becomes either a farce
tragedy.
Direct action, through the forms of pure de-
snsocracy, must be limited to the small unit whose
know each other and are personally ia
sHiliar with the pending issues. The New England
town meeting Of the olden day could act intelli-
gently and effectively ON the building of a road
The loc3tion of a schoolhouse, the care OF the local
poor, 6r any other subject directly related to the
lives Of the local people and affecting them IN a
Stsneibie and visible way. The same town meeting
might, BY reason of the u~nfanniliarity Of many 81
itSnembers with the subject, be utterly inconnpe-
~ 70 deal with the organization of 4 national
banking system, the development Of a national
sksGg9e policy, or the terms on which i new state
a1&0Gld Re adrnitted to the union. I~itera4e Russia;
~ tnterio China can govern it's own villages Nv the
G1ekfvote of their inhabitants, but to say that the
lpS11e1sion OF this ability implies 5capacity to deal
SB4etiy nth The larger problems of national eoy-
11sRAsisg ~ commit ones self 10 an absurdity.
he4 government of nations must he, no matter
kesss ystetn employee. BY persons WHO aae Bet
sfstppsds fpf that Hwork, a educatibn aud expert