Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-08-04
The Scholar In Politics.

before the Literary Societies OF Dartmouth
College, at its recent Commencement ne
took the ground, that to be most really use
full to ones age in politics. the scholar
should keep out of politics. lie said
The best and most intelligent politicians
have more or less Of the party twist. Inc
grain does not run clear and straight. Ihey
give their first pledge to the party; II there
Is any residue they may give that to man
kind. He who puts country before party IS
distrusted by party leaders and party follow
ers.
There i. servility which is fatal to
INDEPENDENCE in him who seeks ottlce, either |
by appointment or suffrage lie may De
honest himself, but blindness. deafness and
dumbness are likely soon 20 afiilct him. lie
hears, sees, speaks only what Is pleasing 70
a watchful constituency or a watchinl oihciai-
He wears the party label on his back, on MS
breast, on his forehead.
To this, O correspondent of the Caledonidn,
over the signature of "Junius.' apty re-
plies as follows
A closet politician Is like closet natu-
ralist. mere critic and theorlst, testing
nothing by the practical touch and applica-
ton of his rosy colored nostrums Tor present
woes. The true scholar need not be afrald
of descending into an arena where men IKE
John A. Andrew, Henry Winter DAVIS,
Salmon p. Chase and W. Pitt Fessenden,
gave and took hard blows, did great work
and won great and undying honor; an arena
where men like Carl Sehurz, George W.
Curtis, Judge Hoar, Alexander H. Bullock,
and Professor Seeyle, do not hesitate to step,
when it seems necessary. and stlll ike TO
repeat the act when their strong latin, Stout
hearts and ready hands find pressing work
to do. These men have all worked IN the
party, for the party, and by the party, that
seemed TO them 10 promise best the highest
practical good that is, they have all been
scholars in politics, in the sense OF belong
ing to and actively working with some party
in distinction from Mr. Wizards ideal
scholar. who is TO sit in his closet, out OF
politics. shooting his free lances out of the
window. careless whether his reckless
shots over the house hurt his brother or no.
Nor does it seem to US that there is any
more force in saving that the scholar should
never in politics be an office seeker or even
an Office holder, than to say that the scholar
should keep ont of the legal profession be-
cause it has its shysters, or out Of the medi-
cal profession because it mas its wolves in
sheep's clothing or in other words that
GOOD man must coddle his own virtue and
leave practical politics TO the political shy
ster that always stands ready 10 step where
these dear, delicate, angelic scholars fear to
| 10 .abnlar ~ NJ ID
out Of politics, to squarely and effectively alb
rogate or abate evils, for the reason that act
ors and doers Of right are always worth
more to the world than all the critics that
ever sat in their closets and lettere1 moral
guide-boards for the benefit Of their DAY and
generation
Shall vigorous business minds turn their
backs on 'railroading" and stock dealing.
because Fisk and Gould and Tom Scott and
Ames have lived? Shall banking be aoan-
doned because quite large per cent. OF
presidents, cashiers and other officers end in
being false to their delicate trusts? Shall
there be never a scholar book keeper again,
which Charles Lamb was, because so many
embezzlers and frauds Of this sort use their
position to rob their employers? The great
| business transactions of the Government,
even in this age Of so-oalled political c1rrup-
ton, show far less per cent. Of loss ~ IN
faithful stewardship and unworthy suUordi-
mates. than any private business Of
equal magnitude. The truth Is that
human nature l. about the same IN all
vacations. and there Is no good reason
for believing that politics as profession Is
any more dem0ralizing, any more prol!hc IN
sc0undrels, than any one Of the so-cal!ed re-
spectacle calling in life, that involve
temptation and struggle, ending IN conquest
or fall, according as the root Of honor and IN
tegrity was originally deeply and strongly
rooted or not.
So far a. Office holding necessarily implies
servility. and choking down freedom OF
| thought. II j. not true that this Is the fault
| Of politics. If it seem to be true, It i only
because il Is true, not Of politics, but Of
American society at large, which : 20 IN
tensey utilitarian in it. morality and civil
zation that money and not merit Is the most
popular and potent tombstone. In Ger
many, q vast number Of small Offices are
held By men who are the scholars ota nation
Of scholars, who are not ashamed to hold
these places bu, despite their small salaries
there i no seryility Of intercourse, for these
Office holder- are recognized in the best so
cety on the strength Of the fact that they
are men Of cultivated intellect. learning and
character They do not steal, nor are they
snubbed into servility because they are Of
fee boliers on pay, large or small. II there
is any seryility in office holding IN America.
it Is not peculiar to politics, It i the present
low tone of American civilization that per-
emptorily asks of every man, not how much
do you know. how honest, intelligent and
faithful are you, bu: how much are you
worth
As well might You keep ont Of water IN
til you have learned to swim, is 10 expect TO
most efficiently help politics by refusing TO
q into politics that Is 70 work from with
out, when you can best work from within.