The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-21
POLITICAL EXCLUSION OF Re-
SPEOTABILITY.

Either men of courage and character, abili.
ty and integrity, from the various reputable
avocations of the country must step into the
political arena, and knock down, strangle,
and drag out the loaferism now in possession,
or this generation, apd the next, is doomed
to continue taxpaying in order that loafers in
Office may thrive and grow fat Idle men
hanging around, see and secure the greater
number of public places, because industrious
men, thrifty attending to their own affairs,
give too little heed to political matters
Chicago Times.
The boys of America are educated to the
belief that. the prime object and great end o.
life is to make money and get rich. They are
about as good as the American boys were who
begun to vote when Jefferson was elected
President, the chief difference being thai
money was not then SO much the absorbing
pursuit of life as now. The children, even the
grandchildren of those who went through the
American rebellion, retained the educated
patriotism OF their ancestors and each took 6
lively interest in all that related to the vel
fare, strength and independence Of the sue
cessfully rebellious colonies. But political
honors are of short life, while the advantages
of money are palpable and lasting. The
young men OF our day see that wealthy men
are held in honorable esteem and exercise
all the power worth having. Their
ears are filled in childhood and their
imagirations ipfamed with eulogies on sue
cessful men. Literary, professional, political
and military renown are paled before the
metallic splendor and solid glory Of the mil
lionaire. Hence it is that all the best talent
and very nearly all the talent Of the country
is turned in its worship towards the golden
calf Young men who want money, but who
are honest, will not waste their time in poll
tics or in filling salaried offices it is only
those who are not honest who resort to poll
tics and Office as means for putting money in
their purses. If brought to the test, the
young merchants, bankers, lawyers and con-
tractors, now eager to heap up fortunes,
would be found ready aud willing to make
sacrifices and spend money in the support
and protection Of their country; but for the
time being their chief desire is to be let alone
in their business. Their avarice may have
smo.hered and paralyzed their patriot
ism, but avarice has not killed it.
They cannot afford to hold otfi,e nor
even to interest themselves in behalf of
worthy men at primary elections; but if
mean, dishonest, venal men of a secondary
order Of ability fill legislative and other places
and bring the government Of the country into
disrepute and threatening trouble, patriotism
will take the alarm and come to the rescue.
No specially demoralizing influences have
prevailed on this continent during the past
sixty years, and it may be assumed that the
average of character is not, to any marked ex-
tent, lower than it was seventy years ago.
The pursuit of politics has gone out of
fashion, and many false theories have gained
notice and acceptance, but whenever an at
tack shall be made upon the country, or any
great insult be leve ed at her, the young men
Of the country will leave their stores and
banks, their mills and offices, their farms and
shops as readily as did their prosenitors
hundred wears ago.