Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-21
SELF GOVERNMENT?

I'VE are placing our reliance on
the principle of government. We
expect there will be mistakes, but
they will be the mistakes which the
people themselves make, because
they control their own Government
But IL the people fail to vote, a gov
crnment will be developed which is
not their government"
These words in the closing of his
Patriots Day address before the
Daughters Of the American Revolu-
tion are fitting, not only for his
listeners but also the millions of his
readers, to keep fastened in their
memory. We have great need of
them, and will have for years to
come, to help us In arriving at a
proper solution of very important
questions affecting the relations be-
tween the people and the Govern
ment.
Though we have Constitution
and body Of laws, our Government
will nevertheless be what we make
it. Silence gives consent. Voters,
who do not vote, leave to those. who
do, to make the kind of Government
they want. The fewer the number
voting. the more influential become
those with IAN axe to grind" while
the taxpayers turn the grindstone.
The only safe, sane thing for the
voter to do under a form of govern
ment like ours Is intelligently to
secure for himself or herself, insofar
as that is possible-and there are
innumerable facilities for doing this
knowledge of the questions at is
sue and conscientiously express an
opinion by way of the ballot, from
start to finish.
Millions of us are unwilling to
make such an exertion. Those, who
do not, deserve no better Govern
ment than a despotism-and it is by
no means impossible that such will
BE- - that which their descendants
may ultimately come to through
civic shiftlessness.
Not all those who fomented rebel
lion against King George were po-
litical saints. There were in those
days more or less grinding of per-
sonal axes, more or less of political
intrigue, more or less of rascality
more or less of government inef-
ficiency or Washingtons army at
Valley Forge would not have suffer-
ed the privations it so heroically
endured and which shamed the
country. But this from President
Coolidge's comment is pertinent and
thought provoking.
He said: "The Revolutionary
period has always appeared to me
to be significant for three definite
reasons: The people of that day
had ideals for the advancement OF
human welfare. They kept their
ideals within the bounds of what
was practical, according to the re-
suits of past experience. They did
not hesitate to make the necessary
sacrifice to establish those ideals In
a workable form of political institu-
TONS"
Did the people of this country dc
as we'll in the last two Presidential
elections, when less than half the
qualified voters were willing to make
even the petty sacrifice of going to
the polls? The voters in England
that we fought so we might vote as
we please, are doing much better
than that. In Germany rs per cent
of the voters go to the polls. If we
don't get good government We have
ourselves to blame. If the Govern
ment chosen by minority seeks to
regulate our schools, our teachers
and what shall be taught, the age of
our workers, our highways and our
State affairs, then the majority will
be luckier than they deserve if all
these things are done properly. But
meanwhile what are they becoming,
this majority of American citizens,
merely the pawns in the game of
governing?