The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1928-08-01

changes the whole current of opinion The in
voved is just worthy of popular confidence as he was
before Just unworthy, the may be. But the
public mind has changed night
The whose political philosophy requires that he be
the ground servant to the public, must be as
close observer and capable of lightning acrobac
stunts the habitual devotee of the stock market
But raise the question to the correctness OF this
political philosophy. What the public wants in their
legislators is not abject slavery but leadership These
been called away from their ordinary vocatons
devote their time to study of public questions The
rest of attending to business affairs as ntent
we must while these men, duly chosen are supposed
study not consdered opinions but our real in
erests If the citizen could form correct opinions
by the hasty perusual of the papers, might leave
everything to reerenda and let it at that and get rid
of the expense uncertainties, dangers and foles of
countryfu of legislatures and an uncertain and tickle
Congress-
What want. what need and what we are entitled
TO have intelligent leadership Our representative
should study the fundamental welfare of people He
chosen to represent interests in legislative coun
ellis not his own He is there to study the solution
of aw-rnaking problems. He is there to work out
methods of applying justice and promoting policies Tor
the economic social and moral Well-being of the COM
munty whole.
The ear the ground policy at best makes the egis
lator think only of his district and disregard the
welfare of the Others This position is faulty While the
representative is chosen from single district as soon as
he elected he becomes legislator for the entire state
country the may be- and should consider the
welfare of all He is representing his district among
other similar districts with less divergent in
terests Together they to work out policies which
shall benefit to ALL not to particular class of the
community particular district in the common
wealth
Still another consideration which should have great
weight Laws not made for today they should not
be merely of temporary application They are for per-
and general service. They must be founded upon
fundamental considerations if they to endure. The
legislator there to seek fundamental principles and give
them practical application to the interests at hand.
He should have "ear to the sky to get his moral
authority discover the principles of fundamental JUS
tice and an "ear ground in order to learn the
details of the situation to which they are to be applied
and the means available for their application.
There is a higher wisdom than the DOT populi, and
that is the Del He must listen to God as we'll as
to men, Heaven gave him two ears. Let him use both.
His brain somewhere between them. 1t is there to be
wishes of and the permanent laws OF God ana OF
Justice This does not at all that he should be
mere theorist entirely with practical
devotion to the interest of the people
leader not leader unless he is followed The con-
stituentS ultimately go along Sky listening is
essential but of great value unless it ground
following Successful statesmen must be able to discover
opinion of the constituents and at the same time re-
tain clear vision of elemental justice If constituents
are wrong their opinions such laws should be enacted as
will afford guide to righteousness we'll as hinder
to wrong.
When once representative has stood out against the
convictions the people of his district important
matter even riskng his political future in order to do
so and then goes his district and argues the thing
out with his constituents and as CONSCIENTIOUS and
honest man. he often inspires confidence in himself and
in his honesty which is Of the greatest political value.
People like TO follow whom they trust and who
they believe the to stand for his conVlc
tions They will forgive him for differing with them
casionay when they convinced of his thorough
honest and desire to The probability OF re-
election the average is just great greater than
when political conduct is always shaped by crnging
fear those whom he represents and servile effort
always to keep his ear to the ground"
to the ground and one ear to the sky other
wise why should he have two ears?