The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1876-08-17
For the Citizen.l
Young NTen, Again.

in a recent issue of your paper l
noticed an article appealing for the
recognition of talent and worth in
young men. I fully agree with the
writer in the idea that the many
changes produced by the late civil
war in the political affairs of our
country, renders, to a considerable
entent, the Old time politician unfit
for the emergencies of the times.
When they were educated the gov
ernmental machinery was moved
with : different ln.,Ltve power, to
that of the present DAY. Then the
rulers and men in high places en-
deavored to secure to the sovereign
people such a code of laws as would
produce the greatest amount of
good to all classes of citizens; then
salary grabbing, whiskey rings, and
various other kinds of rings familiar
to every school boy of to day, were
unknown. For the last ten years
the cry of corruption has been heard
from north to south, from east to
west, and it has gone on until it is
only necessary for a man to hold an
Office to make honest people distrust
him. When the Chief Magistrate
and many of his appointees are ac-
cused, an d some of them convicted,
of the most outrageous frauds and
plundering OF the public treasury,
how are we to know who is. honest2
But there is light dawning in the
political horizon that promises to
reveal to the honest, suffering peo-
pie the cause Of the oppressive
times and burdensome taxation that
they have been forced to bear, for 1
believe that if the immense amount
Of public money chat has been
squandered by officials in high
places and invested in magnificent
palaces to shelter robbers Of the
national Golfers had been properly
applied to the payment Of the ma
tional debt the rate Of taxation
would be considerably less than it
is to-day Tilden, he who dried up
the great cesspooI of corruption In
New York City-the Tammany
ring-is now moving on with the
tread of a conqueror towards the
National Capitol, and when he ar
rives there in March he will say to
Mr.. Grant and his crew who have
so long and foully abused the trusts
reposed in them by the people,
'step down and off to the quiet
shades of retirement"
Now, would ask, who are better
suited for the arduous labors and
immense responsibilities that will
devolve upon the successors of
Grantism, than the active, energetic,
intellectual and honest young men
of our country? For it requires
physical as well as mental strength
to undergo the labor and cares of
political life. When I say young
men 1 do not mean beardless boys,
nor the giddy fashionables who are
up with the times only in regard to
the latest styles Of parting the hair
in the middle and wearing a cane,
but l mean young men who are in
formed, and who investigate and
sre prepared and willing to aid in
running the machinery Of our Ma
tional and State governments.
l am full of veneration for old
age and gray hairs-our fathers are
all old men, and we viii all be some
day (if We live long enough yet
am opposed to the almost universa
disposition to keep young men il
obscurity who are ambitious anC
i deserving. I am not an aspiran
for any office, nor do I write this il
the interest of any individual. B.