The Government of Mizora not being of primary importance in the
estimation of the people, I have not made more than a mere mention of it
heretofore. In this respect I have conformed to the generally expressed
taste of the Mizora people. In my own country the government and the
aristocracy were identical. The government offices and emoluments were
the highest pinnacles of ambition.
I mentioned the disparity of opinion between Mizora and all other
countries I had known in regard to this. I could not understand why
politics in Mizora should be of so small importance. The answer was,
that among an educated and highly enlightened people, the government
will take care of itself. Having been perfected by wise experience, the
people allow it to glide along in the grooves that time has made for it.
In form, the government of Mizora was a Federal Republic. The term of
office in no department exceeded the limit of five years. The
Presidential term of office was for five years.
They had one peculiar--exceedingly peculiar--law in regard to politics.
No candidate could come before the public seeking office before having a
certificate from the State College to which she belonged, stating her
examination and qualifications to fill such an office.
Just like examining for school-teachers, I thought. And why not? Making
laws for a State is of far more importance than making them for a few
dozen scholars. I remembered to have heard some of my American
acquaintances say that in their country it was not always qualifications
that get a candidate into office. Some of the ways were devious and not
suitable for publicity. Offices were frequently filled by incompetent
men. There had been congressmen and other offices of higher and more
responsible duties, filled by persons who could not correctly frame a
sentence in their native language, who could not spell the simplest
words as they were spelled in the dictionary, unless it were an
accident.
To seek the office of President, or any other position under the General
Government, required an examination and certificate from the National
College. The examinations were always public, and conducted in such a
manner that imposture was impossible. Constituents could attend if they
chose, and decide upon the qualifications of a favorite candidate. In
all the public schools, politics--to a certain extent--formed part of
the general education of every child. Beyond that, any one having a
predilection for politics could find in the State Colleges and National
Colleges the most liberal advantages for acquiring a knowledge of
political economy, political arithmetic, and the science of government.
Political campaigns, (if such a term could be applicable to the politics
of Mizora) were of the mildest possible character. The papers published
the names of the candidates and their examinations in full. The people
read and decided upon their choice, and, when the time came, voted. And
that was the extent of the campaign enthusiasm.
I must mention that the examinations on the science of government were
not conducted as are ordinary examinations in any given study that
consists of questions and answers. That was the preliminary part. There
followed a thorough, practical test of their ability to discharge the
duties of office with wisdom. No matter which side the sympathies or
affections might be enlisted upon, the stern decree of justice was what
the Mizorean abided by. From earliest infancy their minds were trained
in that doctrine. In the discharge of all public duties especially, it
seemed to be the paramount consideration. Certainly no government
machinery ever could move with more ease, or give greater satisfaction
to the people, than that of Mizora.
They never appeared to be excited or uneasy about the result of the
elections. I never heard an animated political argument, such as I used
to read about in America. I asked a politician one day what she thought
of the probable success of the opposite party. She replied that it would
not make any difference to the country as both candidates were perfectly
competent to fill the office.
"Do you never make disparaging statements about the opposing candidate?"
was my inquiry.
"How could we?" she asked in surprise, "when there are none to make."
"You might assume a few for the time being; just to make her lose
votes."
"That would be a crime worthy of barbarians."
"Do you never have any party issues?"
"No. There is never anything to make an issue of. We all work for the
good of the people, and the whole people. There is no greed of glory or
gain; no personal ambition to gratify. Were I to use any artifice to
secure office or popularity, I should be instantly deprived of public
esteem and notice. I do my duty conscientiously; _that_ is the aim of
public life. I work for the public good and my popularity comes as it is
earned and deserved. I have no fear of being slighted or underrated.
Every politician feels and acts the same way."
"Have politicians ever bought votes with money, or offered bribes by
promising positions that it would be in their official power to grant
when elected?"
"Never! There is not a citizen of Mizora who would not scorn an office
obtained in such a way. The profession of politics, while not to be
compared in importance with the sciences, is yet not devoid of dignity.
It is not necessary to make new laws. They were perfected long ago, and
what has been proven good we have no desire to change. We manage the
government according to a conscientious interpretation of the law. We
have repealed laws that were in force when our Republic was young, and
dropped them from the statute books. They were laws unworthy of our
civilization. We have laws for the protection of property and to
regulate public morals, and while our civilization is in a state of
advancement that does not require them, yet we think it wisdom to let
them remain. The people know that we have such laws and live up to them
without surveillance. They would abide by the principles of justice set
forth in them just as scrupulously if we should repeal them.
"You spoke of bribes. In remote ages, when our country was emerging from
a state of semi-barbarism, such things were in common practice.
Political chicanery was a name given to various underhand and dishonest
maneuvers to gain office and public power. It was frequently the case
that the most responsible positions in the Government would be occupied
by the basest characters, who used their power only for fraud to enrich
themselves and their friends by robbing the people. They deceived the
masses by preaching purity. They were never punished. If they were
accused and brought to trial, the wealth they had stolen from the
government purchased their acquittal, and then they posed as martyrs.
The form of government was then, as now, a Federal Republic, but the
people had very little to do with it. They were merely the tools of
unscrupulous politicians. In those days a sensitively honest person
would not accept office, because the name politician was a synonym for
flexible principles. It was derogatory to one's character to seek
office."
"Was dishonesty more prominent in one party than another?" I asked,
thinking how very Americanish this history sounded.
"We, who look back upon the conditions of those times and view it with
dispassionate judgment, can perceive corruption in both political
parties. The real welfare of the country was the last thing considered
by a professional politician. There was always something that was to
benefit the people brought forward as a party issue, and used as a means
of working up the enthusiasm or fears of the people, and usually dropped
after the election.
"The candidate for election in those days might be guilty of heinous
crimes, yet the party covered them all, and over that covering the
partisan newspaper spread every virtue in the calendar. A stranger to
the country and its customs reading one of their partisan newspapers
during a political campaign, might conclude that the party _it_
advocated was composed of only the virtues of the country, and their
leader an epitome of the supremest excellence.
"Reading in the same paper a description of the opposing party, the
stranger might think it composed of only the degraded and disreputable
portion of the nation, and its leader the scum of all its depravity. If
curiosity should induce a perusal of some partisan paper of the other
party, the same thing could be read in its columns, with a change of
names. It would be the opposite party that was getting represented in
the most despicable character, and _their_ leader was the only one who
possessed enough honesty and talent to keep the country from going to
wreck. The other party leader was the one who was guilty of all the
crimes in the calendar. A vast number of people were ignorant enough to
cling blindly to one party and to believe every word published by its
partisan papers. This superstitious party faith was what the
unscrupulous politicians handled dexterously for their own selfish ends.
It was not until education became universal, and a higher culture was
forced upon the majority--the working classes--that politics began to
purify itself, and put on the dignity of real virtue, and receive the
respect that belongs to genuine justice.
"The people became disgusted with defamatory political literature, and
the honorable members of both parties abjured it altogether. In such a
government as this, two great parties could not exist, where one was
altogether bad and the other altogether good. It became apparent to the
people that there was good in both parties, and they began to elect it
irrespective of party prejudice. Politicians began to work for their
country instead of themselves and their party, and politics took the
noble position that the rights of humanity designed it for. I have been
giving you quite a history of our ancient politics. Our present
condition is far different. As the people became enlightened to a higher
degree, the government became more compact. It might now be compared to
a large family. There are one hundred States in the Union. There was a
time when every State made its own laws for its own domestic government.
One code of laws is now enforced in every State. In going from one State
to another citizens now suffer no inconvenience from a confusion of
laws. Every State owes allegiance to the General Government. No State or
number of States could set up an independent government without
obtaining the consent and legal dissolution from the General Government.
But such a thing will never be thought of. We have prospered as a great
united Nation. Our union has been our strength, our prosperity."
I visited with Wauna a number of the States' Capitals. In architecture
the Mizora people display an excellent taste. Their public buildings
might all be called works of art. Their government buildings,
especially, were on a scale of magnificent splendor. The hollow square
seemed to be a favorite form. One very beautiful capitol building was of
crystal glass, with facing and cornices of marble onyx. It looked more
like a gigantic gem than anything I could compare it to, especially when
lighted up by great globes of white fire suspended from every ceiling.
Upon my entrance into Mizora, I was led into the belief that I had
arrived at a female seminary, because the dining and sleeping
accommodations for the stateswoman were all in the Capitol building. I
observed that the State Capitols were similarly accommodated. In Mizora
the home is the heart of all joy, and wherever a Mizora woman goes, she
endeavors to surround herself with its comforts and pleasures. That was
the reason that the splendid Capitol building had its home-like
appointments, was a Nation of women exclusively--at least as far as I
had as yet been able to discover.
Another reason for the homes of all officials of the Government being
within the public buildings, was because all the personal expenses,
excepting clothing, were paid by the Government. The salaries of
Government positions were not large, compared with those of the
sciences; but as their social and political dues were paid out of the
public treasury, the salaries might be considered as net profit. This
custom had originated many centuries in the past. In those early days,
when a penurious character became an incumbent of public office, the
social obligations belonging to it were often but niggardly requited.
Sometimes business embarrassments and real necessity demanded economy;
so, at last, the Government assumed all the expenses contingent upon
every office, from the highest to the lowest. By this means the occupant
of a Government office was freed from every care but those of state.
The number and style of all social entertainments that were obligatory
of the occupant of a public office, were regulated by law. As the people
of Mizora believed in enjoyment, the entertainments provided by the
Government as the necessary social dues of its officers, were not few,
nor scantily furnished.