The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1875-04-10
The Word POlitician-vicws Of nm Emil
nent Gentleman Upon The Subject.

nent Gentleman Upon the Subject.
To the Editor of The Dallas Herald:
The positions of your correspondent,
II. III. c., in yesterdays HERALD, are
sound and well taken. The catch
penny Specification of late years given
to the word "polilician" is Il misuse OF
one versed in the science of govern
ment, than which none is more hon
orahle. Properly worn, whether in
private or public life, it is u badge OF
honor. The retired, unsclfish and
most patriotic citizen, in its true sense,
may lie a thorough politician. And in
this sense the ignorant, intriguing
place hunter, is not u politician, but
rather an Office hunting jockey. But II.
I'll. G. is right in pointing out The rene
dies for evils commonly complained OF
by electing honest and competent
men as law-makers), as well rs execu-
tors of the law.) One fault lies with
some of the best citizens of the cOun-
try. They seem to have lost hope of
re establishing pure aud economi-
cal government and therefore fail
to exert their just influence to
bring it alb ut But, for one
think they are wrong. Such
wrongs and publications, in the nature
of things, in II state so large and with
such a large element of new citizenship,
unfamiliar with our past, cannot be ef-
fected i'm II moment. The foundation
1.-THE constitution) being wrong, almost
every general thing bascdupon it needs
repairs.
There are yet plenty of honest and
carable men to restore wise, econOm-
ical and just state government-tried
men, who are willing to serve i'm the
convention, hut are not ambitious for
mere Office. IL is an honorable ambi-
ton moreover, in the man who is emu
lous of serving his state In an unselfish
and patriotic desire to reform abuses
10 lessen public burdens, tn protect life,
liberty and the rights of property, and
thereby to secure once more peace, har-
mony and mutual confidence among
the people of the commonwealth. Is
such "A man to be classed as n
"politiciann in the offensive sig
uiiication of the word ? III 50,
then wherein i The inducement
foi men to he faithful public servants ?
There are also men of the same char
acter--in 10 wrong sense office seek
ers-who would be willing to serve a
session or so in the first legislature un-
der the new constitution, yet who have
no desire for active political life. They
would do 80 from the purest of motives,
to assist In forming the laws under the
new dispensation and rendering them
such as free people should have.
All virtue did not die with the late
war, nor has IL ceased to exist since.
Parents lovetheir chiltlred as devotedly
since as before the war. Are they not
as anxious now as ever to leave them
a good government? II not, why not?
1t seems to me they should be intensi-
fled i'm this desire now even more than
before tyranny and corruption invaded
the land.
The patrons of husbandry, IL true to
their mission, as it is believed they will
he. can do much in the direction indi-
Gated. Their true interests harmonic
with those of all who live by legiti-
mate means, whether mechanical,
mercantile or professional. To all such
good government should be n common
boon. X.