The Coconino sun., 1924-03-21

I. In discussing the subject Govern
1 nent Relation to the Public in its
Business Transactions" it might be
we'll to pause and ask what is the
1 purpose of government? What are
/ the forms of government? Govern
ment may be divided into three
1 classes.
! First, monarchy, that form in which
i the sovereignty of the state is vest
ed in one individual.
/ Second, aristocracy, or that form in
which the sovereignty is confided to q
select portion of the people.
/ Third, democracy, or that form in
/ which the sovereignty is retained by
the people as a whole, and exercised
either directly or Indirectly.
Now, if the purpose of the govern
ment is to permit the carrying out of
the will and purpose of one individual
! the monarch, the government rela-
ton to the public in its business deal
ings would be entirely different than
would be found in state where the
government is brought into existence
by the will of the community and is
maintained by the consent of the
people and for the benefit of the peo-
pie.
Since we live in republic, our re-
marks will be confined to the gov
ernment relation to the public in its
business transactions III a republic.
just what was in the minds of our
forefathers when our republic was es-
tabished?
fI1 oi.a1ar cE III
with which the history of the United
States began, states: 'We hold these
truths to be self-evident, that all men
are created equal, that they are en-
dowed by their Creator with certain
inalienable rights, that among these
are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. That to secure these
rights, governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers
from the consent Of the governed.
That whenever any form of govern
ment becomes destructive Of these
ends, it is the right Of the people to
alter or to abolish it,
The preamble to the constitution
says I've, the people Of the United
States, in order to form more per-
feet union, establish Justice, insure
domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the general
welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity, |
do ordain and establish this constit- |
ution for the United States Of Amer |
lea"
Our government, then, is of the
people, for the people, and by the |
people. Certainly then, the word
service" should be the keynote in the I
government dealings with the public
This would apply to the business /
dealings Of the federal, state, county, /
and city--in fact down to the smallest
subdivision of d county or city, where
various boards, comnlissins, or offic-
ers are empowered to represent the
public and to transact business for the
public. Certainly the general well
fare cannot be promoted unless the
government is represented BY men ard
women who have high ideals Of SER
vice and who have the welfare of the
public-of the public, if you please
rather than personal interest, prim-
arily at heart. Naturally no govern
ment reaches the state Of perfection,
and when that state is reached no
will be necessary.
The fact that political parties are
prone to make many campaign pled-
ges is an indication that there is a
general feeling that the government
relation to the public is not all that it
should be. Sometimes think, though,
that people expect too much through
There is demand forl
a law to cure some evil, be it real or
and the law is passed.
is invented to permit the
law to work, but possibly the machin-
cry provided is cumbersome and poor
" adapted, and maybe the working
Of that machinery interferes with
the working of some other part Of our
great governmental machine. Evol-