Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1875-06-15
THE RUTLAND HERALD
THURSDAY, JULY Is, 1875.
SCHOLARS AND POLITICS.

~
In the language of the almanacs,
"about these days look out for gradu-
ates." The whole atmosphere seems Ia
den with a classic fragrance. Mr. cree
lev used to speak of this class as ''horned
cattle" in his half sneering way, but in
this expression he displayed the weaker
side of his nature. Like all self-educated
men he had lingering prujudices OF TINS
kind which he hever fully shook off.
Had he enjoyed the advantages of lib
eral education these things would have
disappeared, leaving him in every re-
spect a greater and truer man. There
are incompetent men who graduate
yearly from our colleges, this no one
denies, but there are many more endo wed
and qualified for the important and diff
ficult duties of public and private life.
The last decade has had a large proper
ton of unframed men in positions OF ln-
fiuence, greatly to the detriment of the
nation. This phase of public life has
panied and alarmed many of the best
men of the country. A reaction, how
ever, has set in and SO strongly also as
to become a marked feature of the pc.
utlcal and social developments of the
day. Like all other great. revolutions In
the domain of thought, it attained much
strength before it secured anything ike
general recognition. Many people were
surprised, few perhaps startled, but
many more, delighted with the spirit
and purpose of ex-governor Bulloeks
Phi Beta Kappa address at Brown Uni
yersitv commencement. For man, IA
miliar by long personal experience with
political life and not without his iauca-
BILE ambitions, to discuss such theme on
such an occasion was noteworthy event.
But he is a scholar, gentleman,
statesman who represents a very large
and constantly increasing class. Then
came a similar one by Governor Cham
berlain of South Carolina before the
Yale law school, marked by its sound
ness, sagacity and breadth. His position
in that State, trying to stem the tide OF
corruption, is an exhibition OF moral
heroism worthy of all praise, and his
success proof that scholarship does not
disqualify for political duties. In CON
nection with his was the address of ex-
President Woolsey, following in the
same general line of thought. His re-
cognized ability in discussing such
themes diminished perhaps the popular
surprise at his discourse, but not the
pleasure with which it has been received.
Last week Charles Francis Adams de-
livered an address on the same general
theme at Amherst, replete with that
practical wisdom which his long politi-
cal life furnished so abundantly.
All these men are not only scholars,
but statesmen as well, at least in native
endowment and political sagaeity, and
their, discussion of topics so similar and
of such intense practical interest is CO.
incidence too marked to be overlooked.
For the cause of 1t we need not go very
far. These men of culture and wide ex-
perince, having an abiding interest in
the nations welfare, have from their
elevated positions seen the rising spirit
inspiration the desires, thoughts and
purposes of the people. The experience
of the last twenty years has satisfied the
people that ignorance of the principles
of finance, of the struggle of liberty for
centuries, the history of the numberless
experiments in government of former
times are not the best qualifications for
public life. Of all men the political
leader in America should be able to take
up the work of civil government where
the generations past have left it, and
not squander time and energy and treas.
ure and opportunity in experimenting
with theories long since exploded. The
country, therefore, as in its early his
tory, is turning to its literally educated,
cultured men for leadership, because
they have knowledge of those things
which are seen to be inseparable from
the highest success in the legislative or
administrative functions of civil govern
ment. In addition to this familiarity, a
liberal education imparts that discipline
which is necessary for the successful
solution of the problems of national
life. More than all, however, is that
high sense of honor, that noble type of
exalted manhood, which culture so gen.
orally begets. 1t is the pride of our
regular army that among the men who
have passed through the severe training
of West Point very few have abused
the trusts reposed in them; such things
are left to party political hacks Our
national republic as well as the republic
of letters is TO be congratulated in view
of the suspicious tendencies to which
we have alluded.