Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1870-09-15
A NEEDED


bring out better men for Office p and adds,
eve are tired of voting for men who, if
half they say about each other is true, are
better fitted for the penitentiary than for
Offices of trust and profit"
In answer to the above we would say
that while some good and true men aspire
to and now hold office, it is a lamentable
fact that many and probably the larger
number are morally and intellectually un-
fit for any position Of public trust. There
are On the other hand, a great many good
men, of experience in matters of finance,
which would be of inestimable value to
the country, who shrink from public life
as from a pestilence, and could not be in
duced to take part in a political campaign
under any consideration. If you ask them
to become candidates for Office the reply
is, 81 want nothing to do with politics.
This is a dangerous state of affairs, and
there is some grave reason at the bottom
IF it which it would be well for our people
to look into. We say dangerous, because
If rood men will not consent to hold Office
but prefer being ruled by designing and
INSCRIPTIONS politicians rather than have
their names connected with any political
movement, the result must inevitably be
that the latter class of adventures will
rule, and ruin will speedily follow. No
doubt, many of the better class are need
lessly sensitive about these matters, and
such should remember that they must
either govern the mob or consent to be gov
erned by it. If politics have become a
filthy pool. in which none but the degraded
class we nave mentioned wallow, is it not
because the respectable portion stand aloof
and allow them to have it all their own
way. That many of the public journals
are responsible for this condition of affairs,
there can be no doubt. Many of them can
not speak of a political opponent without
loading him with obloquy and abuse, mag
nifyihg every little fault into a grave
crime, and even attempting to hold him
responsible for every act of his deceased
ancestors for a number of generations past.
1t is well known that both newspapers and
politicians while conducting q canvass deal
an f~alsehoods and retail Islander with i'm
punity which, under any other circum-
stances would rouse against them the hon
est Indignation of respectable men of all
parties, here it has become quite legitimate
and is getting to be looked upon as a part
Of the ceremony of initiation into public
life. 1t has gone so far that if a candid
ate is accused or even found guilty of
crime SO far as it can be done outside of a
court of justice, that it is looked upon as n
part of the programme and arouses the
eympathies of the voter in his favor rather
than against him. This is fast becoming
sgreat evil. The only men who dare
venture to run the gauntlet of vitupera-
tion and abuse, which is sure to beset them
are such as have become hardened in crime
and c%allous tc rcproach. We ask in all
candor is it safe to trust such men with
the management of public affairs, and is
it not high time that a public rebuke was
administered to both journalists and poll
ticians who indulge in this sort of brigan-
dage to the detriment of public morals
and the injury of better men than them
selves? Whenever public opinion frowns
upon, or the people cease to encourage this
species of warfare, VIC may look to see
better, purer, and more competent men
aspiring to Office. But this is the only
power that can counteract it. The RENE
dy is in the hands of the people. When
they learn to apply it properly, We will be
rid of this and many other evils of a like
character.