The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-09
Cant About Men Of Culture.

The London Saturday ReuietU, in . late
article on American affairs, says that
our political life has become so degraded
that men of culture will have nothing to do
with It," This is what q little knot of
dilettante fellows at home are fond Of as
serting. Things are so nasty that nice peo-
Pile will not touch them. There Is no show
for SCHOLARS and gentlemen"
Is this a facti Are our men OF culture-a
word become detestable be cause Of the uses
70 which canting writers have put it-un-
willing TO have anything TO do with politi-
cal life because IL Is so lowf Would they
refuse Office on that account, and as mat
ter of fact do they refuse itf Certainly
not. They would be fools and unworthy
citizens II they did. provided they were nt
for office. Many OF these so-called men OF
culture, however, are utterly unfit for po-
litical life, which calls for practical men,
not mere theorists, critics, and doc
trtnaires.
But do we not have men OF culture In our
politicsf Let us see. Take this State.
First we have Gov. TILDEN. an ex perieuced
politician rising to statesmanlike proper
tions, q trained lawyer, q man of scholar
ship, of reading, and OF the world. He
can't be put among the cultureless. Lieut..
Gov. DoRsHEIMER is q Harvard man, and
a first rate scholar. Mr.. JOHN BIGELow,
Secretary OF State, Is an educated man OF
social experience. Both our Senators are
men OF culture-KERNAN, a lawyer of re-
markable ability, CoNKLISG, the son Of y
distinguished jurist, and himself intellectu-
ally aud socially polished. Our Representa-
tives average high in the matter OF educa-
ton. We need only name such men as HEw-
TIT, Cox. WHEELER Bass, LAPHAM, Town
SEND and several Others, to show that our
leading politicians are not selected from
the ruff-scuff, but from among the more
cultivated class OF men. Even the men
who sit In council at Tammany Hail
are, many OF them, among the best
In the Democratic party and have always
been so. The Republicans do not lack for
the assistance of men of like standing, So
cially and politically. or our ex-Gover-
nors, DIX, HOFFMAN, and SEYMOUR are
all men of unusual cultivation. OF
the prominent candidates for President
all are men OF acquirements-Tu .DEN,
DAVIS, THURMAN, BAYARD, HENDRICKs,
CoNKLING, BLAINE, MORTON, BRIsTow, aud
HAYES.
The real trouble is not that re can't
get men of so-called culture to take
Office. for we can and do; nor that
the people do not prize real merit in
their representatives. 1t is because their
interest, or their supineness, or lack
of courage, has prevented Republican
politicians from making war upon the cor
rupt system which grew up out of the war,
and which GRANT has SO perfected that 1t
is known and recognized everywhere as
Grantism. Experience proves that it is
not culture merely which Is sufficient to
the overthrow of abuses in Governments,
but steadfast purpose, an immovable
courage, and hatred OF wrong and all
connivance with wrong, which shall be
even greater than the enjoyment OF learn
| ing and the JOY of the pursuit Of social
| graces and amenities. Culture cannot
make man a sound political guide nor
breed in him true political judgment, nor
make him honest in fibre, though if he
have with these cultivated mind and a
high personal pride, he is better equipped
as Governor or legislator. There is o
great deal of cant about culture talked
| among men who use the word without q
just conception of what it means.