Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-03-01
Political Training.

We have our military and naval
schools for training men for the army
and navy. After their graduation, they
may 60 to civil life, but, in time of war,
they are the first we call upon to organ
ize and lead the forces of the country.
They alone truly understand the BUSH
ness. They have been instructed in all
the details Of organization, subsistence,
engineering and active war. Now, we
cannot understand why the men engag-
ed in legislation and administration
in the civil service of the government
do not need as careful a training as
those who are called to its military and
naval service. The knowledge demand
ed covers wider field. The principles
involved are thousand times more
complex. International law and polity,
political economy, finance, the relations
Of the federal government to the states,
the relations of the states to each other,
constitutional history and constitutional
law, diplomacy, 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 govern
ment, and to acquire even the elements
of this vast range of knowledge? At
present, the only education we give
them is in active service. We are not
only at the expense of their subsistence
and tuition, but we are az the still grea-
ter expense Of their blundes.
Well, we do not propose another
West Point, or another Annapolis. It
would not be well, we presume, to
establish a governmental school Of
politics. There are insuperable objec-
tons in the way. The partisans Of
free trade and protection, for instance,
could never agree on the style of econo-
my to be taught. But there is no good
reason why Yale and Harvard, or any
other college, for that matter, should
not have department of politics, which
should give solid three years course
Of study. There is no reason why a
man should not go before high exam
ming board at Washington, from such a
school as this, and win his certificate Of
fitness for public Office. There are a
thousand good reasons why such a man
should receive the suffrages of the
people for any Office which they wish to
+iu.
Aside from all direct influence upon
governmental legislation and admins
tration, the effect of the training which
such school would give would exer-
else most benefcent influence upon
the country. 1.-THE men who are train
ed 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 leav-
en- the mass, but they will place the
government under intelligent criticism.
Under their influence, the demagogue
would be subjected to fearful discount.
Their presence in public affairs and
their distribution throughout the coun-
try would, of themselves, do much to
reform service that has sunk into
deserved contempt. Ignorant men
would be ashamed to show themselves
in such Light. The simple establish
ment of such school would call the
attention Of the public to the gross
abuses from which they have suffered,
and they would be glad to be represent
ed by men who would not only serve
the country we'll, but would honor
them.