In regard to such duties the question arises, how far
the local authorities ought to be trusted with discretionary power,
free from any superintendence or control of the State.
To decide this question it is essential to consider what is the
comparative position of the central and the local authorities as
capacity for the work, and security against negligence or abuse. In
the first place, the local representative bodies and their officers
are almost certain to be of a much lower grade of intelligence and
knowledge than Parliament and the national executive. Secondly,
besides being themselves of inferior qualifications, they are
watched by, and accountable to, an inferior public opinion. The public
under whose eyes they act, and by whom they are criticised, is both
more limited in extent, and generally far less enlightened, than
that which surrounds and admonishes the highest authorities at the
capital; while the comparative smallness of the interests involved
causes even that inferior public to direct its thoughts to the subject
less intently, and with less solicitude. Far less interference is
exercised by the press and by public discussion, and that which is
exercised may with much more impunity be disregarded in the
proceedings of local than in those of national authorities.
Thus far the advantage seems wholly on the side of management by the
central government.
Pages:
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328