Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-03-02
Political Training.

We have our military and naval schools
for training men for the army and navy.
After their graduation, they may 60 into
civil life, but, 10 time Of war, they are the
first we call upon to organize aud lead the
forces of the country They alone truly un .
derstand the business. They have been in.
structed in all the details of organization,
subsistence engineering and active war.
Now, We cannot understand why the men
engaged in legislation and administration
in the civil service Of the government-do
not need as careful training as those who are
called to its military aud naval service. The
knowledge demanded covers wider field.
The principles involved are a thousand times
more complex. International law and poll
ty, political economy, finance, the relations
Of the federal government to the states, the
relations of the states TO each other, constitu-
tional history and constitutional law, diplo-
macy, and vast aggregate Of recorded
usage and technical detail-all these need
to be understood by the men in Office. How
are men to be grounded in the principles of
government, and to acquire elements of this
vast range Of knowledge2 At present, the
only education we give them is in active SER
vice. We are not only at the expense Of
their subsistence and tuition, but we are at
the still greater expense Of their blunders.
Well, We do not propose another West
Point, or another Annapolis. 1t would not
be WE'LL we presume, to establish a govern
mental school of politics. There are insup-
cradle objections 10 the way. The partisans
of free trade and protection, for instance,
could never agree on the style Of political
economy to be taught. But there is no good
reason why Yale and Harvard, or any other
college, for that matter, should not have a
department OF politics, which should give a
solid three years course of study. There is
no reason why man should not 60 before a
high examining board at Washington, from
such school as this, and win his certificate
Of fitness for public Office. There are thou.
sand good reasons why such a man should
receive the sufrages Of the people for any
Office which they wish to FL.
Aside from all direct influence upon gov
ernmental legislation and administration,
the effect of the training which such a school
would give would exercise a most benefcent
influence upon the country. If the men who
are trained there never enter office, they will
add to the popular intelligence, and raise the
public standard and the public tone. They
will not only help to leaven the mass, but
they will place the government under intelli-
gent criticism. Under their Influence, the
demagogue would be subjected to a fearful
discount. Their presence in public affairs
and their distribution throughout the country
would, Of themselves, do much to reform a
service that has sunk into deserved contempt.
Ignorant men would be ashamed TO show
themselves in such light The simple es.
tabIishment of such a school would call the
attention of the public to the gross abuses
from which they have suffered, and they
would be glad to be represented by men who
would not only serve the country well but
would honor them.-Dr. Holland in Serb
ner for March.