Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-10
The scholar In Politics.

At a recent meeting Of the Alpha Delta
Phi Fraternity, George William Curtis re-
sponded 10 the toast, "The Scholar in Poll
tics" From his speech we take the follow
ing:
BY the familiar phrase Of "the scholar
in POLITICS." | understand simply intelli-
gence, character, trained ability devoted TO
public affairs. ] know, of course as we
all know-that reputation for distinguish
ed scholarship sometimes earns for a states
man a character of abstraction. We hear
it constantly said that book learning is
poor match formative common sense. But
what is book learning bu! simply the ac-
cumulation and record of the experience,
and the sagacity, and tie general knowl-
edge of the race itself. At this moment all
the great material enterprises upon
Wall Street, Of all the great money centers
Of the world, turn for their security upon
the educated chemists, geOlogists, mechan-
ics-in short upon the educated man, what
ever may be his scientific pursuit or his
department Of knowledge, bringing bis
book learning and his mother wit into
practical use. Conceited Ignorance is for
ever sneering at educated and scholarly
statesmanship. Why, Mr.. Chairman, a
hundred years ago at this moment, when
Edmund Burke poured out all the treas
ures of his knowledge in that speech which
is still the glory of Parliamentary elo-
qucnce, the scholar spoke. And when at
Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill the
great traditions of civil liberty first were
imperiled, ii was the scholar warming his
country; and then America was alienated,
and then that liberty was imperiled, be-
cause the warnings Of the scholar states
men were denounced and derided. 1t is
not all the exceptional power of Edmund
Burke which we need when we speak of
the scholar in politics. We mean by that
phrase simply experience, intelligence,
| trained ability devoted 10 public affairs. If
at this moment we call upon the scholar, as
we do call upon him by our presence here
by this toast We call upon him-if we
call upon him TO go into politics, and If our
| politics are mean aud degraded, ii is be-
| cause we know at least that ignorance is
not better than knowledge, that honesty is
more economical than knavery, and that
| than ignorance ami Dartisanshp.
There are sage newspapers which con-
stanuy tell us, "You can't get business and
active men in this country 10 take any in
terest in politics." Very well, gentlemen,
| if that be so, America has asked the whole
| orid to come to its centennial birthday
| next year and discover-if this be true
| that America is a failure. We shall say to
these gentlemen, Behold, we have sub
dued continent, our railroads are endless,
our resources are infinite, our inventions
are wondelful but we are governed by
| rings; we are the slaves of thieves there
Is no political health or heart or hope in us.
| This is tue feast, if this be true, to which
we have invited every nation of the world
to come TO America next year aud sit down.
| for one do not believe 1t. Every man
here, every man in every college in this
country, every intelligent man, whether
he be a graduate of the common school OF
the valedictorian of the highest university
in the land, every such man feels the rs
ing tide that assures him that the centonni-
al year is, after all, TO be the year of The
scholar in politics. It, is to be the year o
the revival Of the spirit Of 100 years ago
when Sam Adams, Benjamin franklin
and John Jay and George Washington
were leaders in Ameri can politics. And
know, and you know, that the demand o
this country is the demand for the lolties
character, the most trained ability, th
broadest experience for the Centennia
President who is TO take the chair in 1877.