, 1875-07-06
C0LLEGE-BREp POLITICIANS,

:..-. -....-e
CoLLEGE-BREp POLITICIANS.
One Of tho most hopeful signs of tic times
is tho growth of an intelligent interest in
politics among tho educated young men of
America In the purest epoch Of o,r poll
tics, a large majority Of the men at tho head
Every member Of WAsu1saroS's Cabinet, tho
first Cabinet Of the United States of America,
was woll-et1ucatcd man. AL but ono, it is
said, had received " regular college-training,
and Tho ono possible exception WIS n man of
prodgioug attain1nents who knew moro Mt ~
than most men know at 10. It would bo folly
to say that college graduate il necessarily
better statesman than au ainmnus of the
plow or the connting-roo1n, but it is Bnfo 10
say TINT of two men of equal natural talents,
tho better educated will be, as rule,
tho litter to be trusted with the powers, du-
lies, chances, and responsibilities Of high
Office in Republic. Universal suffrage and
universal education should always 60 together.
Ignorance cannot administer complex affairs
of State. Any sign Of political revival
among educated Americans must be received
with genuine satisfaction by lovers of their
country. The signs Of tho times now point
to such revival This season of commence
ments has thrown out good many straws
which show that tho wind is blowing very
straight towards the ship Of State in a
good many colleges. Tho commencement
programmes nre full Of political sub
jocta. Ono new-aedged graduate discusses
Ciyil-Sorvice Reform y; another handles
"TLe Future Of international Arbitra-
ton third speaks on Universal
Suffrage" while fourth has "Tho Fallaciea
OF Protection ns his theme and fifth has
something to soy on ''AIunicipal Govern
mont" There hos scarcely been a com
mencement this year, in n college Of any
note, which has not embraced the discussion
OF from ono to hall dozen such subjects.
1'hia innovation must have been a welcome
relief to tho averago audience, which usnnlly
knows as little abont tho subject under dis
casaion as tho speaker does. Orator and
hearer can both enjoy political speech,
purified from the vulgnrisms Of tho stump,
freed from party passion, md fervid with
noble plans Of needed reforms. American
colleges show the political revival In other
ways besides commencement speeches. The
post graduate couryas, by mcans Of which
tho larger colleges are expanding into nniver-
sities, gye rare chances of political study.
At both Yale and Harvard, there are distinct
lively political conrses. wisely planned,
thorough, interesting, attended by numbers
Of students. These lectures reach many
persons outside tho college limits, too. In
New Haven, and we presume in Cambridge.
citizens intend them and tho political and
economic discourses Of Profs. SUMNER and
WA1REn, OF Now Haven, have reached tons
Of Thousands Of rcaders, during the last year,
through The Tribune and Its New York
namesake.
We have had, Of late. too little intellect at
work upon national, State, and municipal
problems. Politics and brains mike good
mixture. The ward-worker and the noureau
Tic]td may sneor ut tho educated Statesman,
but TuoMAa JEFFERSON aud CARL SECURE
make o convincing answer to this vulgar out
| cry.
| The effect upon education OF the re-entry
Of educated men into politics cannot but be
good Dy creating new prizes for knowledge,
II will stimulate 1t. Better still, It will place
devoted friends Of education in places where
they can exert a powerful influence. Elad
not JEFFERSON been President OF the United
States, ho could not hive founded the Uni.
versity Of Virginia, the truest university
III tho country. There aro few finer pictures
than that Of the ex-presidcnt working fot
this beloved object and meanwhile superin.
tending the studies Of the young men who
| apent years near Monticello for the sake oi
his wise alyioe. And We ali know that the
inscription lie prepared for his own tomb,
stone con,memorated three incidents Of his
life, his authorship Of the Declaration o,
Independence, and Of the Virginia law ol
religious freedom. and hia founding the Uni
versity Of Virginia.