The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-08-22


few men in this country who are educated
for political life. Our people have been &C
customed to consider that there are but
three professions-divinity, law and med
icine. The majority of educated men have
felt 1t necessary to study for one or the
other OF these, and If by circumstances or
inclination they have been led to take up
something else, they have still stuck to and
paraded the prefixes "Rev." and "Dr''
and the suf1ix ESQ., as the badges of their
nobility. Of late there there has been q
little change in this respect. Some people
are enlightened enough to call, and others
to make, teaching = profession" And
stranger still, there have been and are a
few young men in the country, who are
willing to study and serve an apprentice.
ship to become thoroughly capable of per-
forming the duties of an editor, the great
est profession of all, for it embraces the
best parts of all the others, and leads and
directs them. But though time and expe-
rience has taught our people many things:
that three professions cannot embrace the
whole range of human knowledge and hui
man duties; that a man by studying for
one thing cannot know another, there is q
good deal yet to learn. Especially have we
to find out the importance of political ed
ucatiOn. Our politicians, even those who
claim to rank high as statesmen, very few
OF them ever had any special training for
their positions. They were not brought up
to politics, but like Topsy, they "growed,
in Congress, where we should expect to see
the best educated politicians in the coun-
try, we find the members lamentably
dehclent in that broad and comprehen-
slve knowledge, as well as minute detail
and technical routine, which are so neces-
sary for the starting and maintaining of a
governmental policy. Our law makers
and our law administrators, many of them,
know nothing about the history of their
own country, much less of other countries;
they are profoundly ignorant of finance
and all the many questions relating to pro-
perty; all they know of Political Ecenomyis
the name, and on all great questions which
affect the vital interests of the country, they
are blind leaders of the blind. Most ofthem
have been educated to one particular bust
ness or profession, which perhaps they
may thoroughly understand; but they are
swamped the minute anything turns up
out of their particular line of study and
thought. Party services have given them
their position, and they are party politi-
clans, working for party alone, knowing
little and caring less, for the real interests
of the country. We have pot-house and
party politicians enough; and they are
ready enough to talk on anything or moth
ing, with a great semblance of WISDOM
But of real politicians, in the truest and
highest sense Of the word, men who are ed
ucated to and understand their professions
we have very few indeed. And not only
do we see and observe the deficiencies Of
men whom we have elevated to high posi-
tons at home, but we are continually dis
sgraced by the ignorance of our ministers
and representatives abroad.
That we are comparatively new coun-
try, and had to take such material hither-
to as came to hand, may perhaps explain
why there has been such a lack of political
education in this country. But it is time
there was a change. 1t is true Republic
can form of Government was an expert
established, or Government firmly fOun-
ded, 1t was to be expected some mistakes
would be made. But it will not do for the
country to be experimental on much long
er by green hands. In the war which is
now devastating the country, we see the
effects Of the mistakes of our fathers, as
well as the miserable tinkering of the pol
iticians of our own day. The country now
demands higher order of craftsmanship.
1t demands men in political and diploma
tic life, such as can only be had by long
and careful training with this direct object
in view. In this matter we need not be
ashamed to learn from England. There
the oldest sons of the peers and Of the
higher classes, are fitted for parliamentary
and diplomatic services, by long and care
full training; by every advantage of study
and travel and expense, that money can
purchase or influence obtain. The conse-
quence is the English throne is constantly
surrounded by a circle of advisers, and the
government is administered by a body of
men, the like of which, in learning, in ex-
perience, in influence and adaptation for
their places, cannot be found in any other
country. All the Englishmen who receive
these aHyaptapoS arc not fc no Soro die.
tinguished for learning or talents; for be-
ing the oldest son of a peer does not neces-
sarily exempt q man from being block
head. But this course of training makes
even dull men respectable, and during a
long succession, when there is any raw
material to work on, has made the English
nobility the most enlightened of any in the
world.
A training of this kind is what our poll
ticians need, and it is a wonder we. see so
few men trying, not to be mere party hacks,
for there are enough of them,-but to fit
themselves by study and by observation
for high political and diplomatic position.
Is not the subject one which demands the
attention of our young nten? Is there any
profession which demands greater talents,
stricter integrity land which. pointsto great
er honor and influence, than that of the re-
al, true politician, one who is thoroughly
versed in the science of government and
the art of governing? 1t is time these
questions were thought of more by our
young men who have their own fortunes to
make; for though the returns might not
come as soon as from some other and small
er profession, they would return surer and
greater rewards in the end. It is time
wealthy men in this country, in directing
and influencing the further lives of their
sons, should put them in the way of pre-
pairing for political life, then trust to their
own merits rather than to party for adj
vancement. And this is the only way to
lessen the influence of party, and to in
crease, rather, deyotion to country; for in
proportion as a man or nation is educa-
led and enlightened, the views expand,
the sympathies are enlarged and the irk-
someness of party trammels increases
When, then, we can have men educated to
politics as profession, and the people ed
ucated to see their superiority over the ma
iority of .-our haphazard politicians, we
shall be nearer the end Of party strife than
we are now, and nearer the beginning of a
wise administration Of national affairs.-
Springfield Republican.
0
LOUISA COUNTY REPUBLICAN, CoNvEN-
r1oN.-The Republicans of Louisa county,