Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-08-23

Government Is science, and one of the
most abstruse. Craftsmanship involves great
qualities, well developed. 1t is comparative
ly easy to become a lawyer, a preacher, a
physician, n machinist, n carpenter or ma
son or even a geologist, an astronomer or n
biologist. A statesman needs all talents. He
deals with men, with laws with institutions.
The problem set before him in free country
like ours is how to secure the greatest good
for the greatest number; how TO enable all
to work together under general laws for ma
tional prosperity and happiness In our COM
pick civilization many questions of political
economy arise, upon which the best of men
differ. Shall we have protection or free
trade! Shall the government provide the
currency, or the banks Shall we encourage
commerce by subsidies? How shall we Sc
cure faithful service and divide responsibility
Shall we shut out foreigners or welcome
them? If We receive them, on what terms
Shall We carry on great systems of public i'm
provement, or leave all to private enterprise
How shall corporations be treated especially
the great railroad corporations which control
transportation These are all serious and
difficult questions in the science OF govern
ment and success depends upon answering
them wisely. The country is strong enough
has resources enOugh-to survive many
blunders; but the mistakes we make tell on
lnt tlAllblltu llOlc lhhu bOug Nlho
Wise, free government gives all fair chance
as far as possible, in the race of life. Bad
government gives to him who has an adj
vantage a greater advantage. 1t helps TO
make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
A dishonest currency or heavy taxation cheats
the wOrkingmen and the honest producer,
but they favor the Spectator. From the
foregoing it will be seen that our great duty
in politics is to select honest and intelligent
men to make our laws and TX our policy. II
is not horny hands that are required but
clear level heads and honest hearts. Would
legislature or congress composed OF
''horny handed sons Of toll be wiser, Drawer,
more enlightened or more mcorruptible than
one composed of men selected for knowledge
and honesty: And how long would they con-
tinue TO be ''workingmen" after they became
statesmen and politicians? Would their viz
tue depart as soon as their hands ceased to be
''horny? - We have been fortunate in this
country in having some able statesmen who
have deserved and enjoyed the confidence OF
the people In the gray dawn of the repub
lie there were men of great organizing power
-clear-eyed. honest, hard-headed, brave
wise men. They prudently steered clear Of
reefs ON either side. They limited the gov
eminent and stiil preserved order. They
saved the true and good and destroyed tn,
false and evil. Did they do it any worse be
cause they were not "workngmcn = Frank
| lin was workingman, but workngm0n ac
| cording to the American idea who by indus
| try, temperance and prudence became n cap
| italist and an employer of others. Washing
| ton was not what would be called to-day
''workingnOn." Neither was Madison, Ad
ans, Jefferson, Hamilton, Jay, Norris o
| Hancock. Yet they did their work well an,
were trusted, and what they did was in tn
interest of workingmen. Franklin and Sher
man did not stand in this company becaus
they had hard hands, but because they haC
sound heads Daniel Webster was the sol
of workingman, but his father used to sa,
he sent him to college because lac was goot
for nothing else. Yet there are some VIII
| think Daniel Webster was n greater states
man than Denis Keainey. Charles Sumne
was not u workngman. He was scholar
and perhaps never had a callous ON his whit
hand Yet he ennobled labor by his life
work Henry Wilson was ''wOrkingman
in his early days, and he worked hard to edu
cate himself that he might be fitted for pub
lie service. He came to be statesman II
time, broadening and increasing his iutelli
gence constantly, but his best friends Away
felt that he suffered in comparison with hi
compeers because he lacked education in hi
youth. John A. Andrews was ouly work
ingman," inasmuch as he worked his wa
through college, but who among the "LPbo
Reformers" of the day is better friend o
the workingmen than was that great-hearted
level-headed statesman 1t is needless to eN
tend the list The science of government
complex and difficult. 1t is not working
mem or Capitalists" we want in legislativ
halls, but honest brave, wise men. No ma
can 60 ahead of us in deprecating thepurchas
of office by rich men. Let the workngne
put that down. That is in their power. Bu
to praise and vote for a man because he is
workingman or to denounce and vote again'
n man because he is n capitalist, is the mos
driveling idiocy ever recommended to the eli
liens of a free country. Boston Herald,