The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-26

the free exercise of religion and fewer upon
personal liberty in all its relations than
anywhere else on earth, it is reasonable TO
expect that theology and politics should
be the most attractive pursuits to the purest
and wisest and ablest men. How the case
is in respect to theology we do not propose
to inquire. In respect to politics, however,
everybody knows that the fact is the reverse
of such expectations. Their pursuit does
not, at the present time, attract purify anu
wisdom and ability to nearly the extentthat
| natural science, art, polite literature, me-
chanics and even mercantile occupations
do When man of good character and
fortune applies himself to politics his
friends generally deprecate his course and
apolopize for it as an eccentricity if they do
not condemn it outright. If his social
position is an eminent one he is considered
to be lowering himself. If he possesses
! conspicuous talents he is considered to be
degrading his faculties. In any event he is
bound to encounter both ridicule and re-
monstrance. Nobody possibly credits him
with disinterestedness everybody asks,
'sWhat is he after?" But il, on the contrary,
his character is smutched or his fortune is
ruined-if, in short, be has ceased to be
gentleman-it is regarded as natural
that he should ego into politics" for
lack of other occupation. Having forfeited
the confidence of his neighbors by his
moral obliquity or his carelessness or stu
pidity in private dealings, it is held per-
fectly appropriate that he should apply for
the confidence of the people at large and
become candidate for offices in which he
would be trustee of public interests. This
picture of the present situation of our poll
tics, particu arly in New York city, is not a
pleasing one. We exhibit it with shame.
But all the world knows that it is true
one. Europe reproaches America with its
accuracy, and prides herself on the supe-
rior attractions Of politics in England or in
France, for example. to gentlemen, over
what is offered in the United States.
What are the causes that thus every day
are repelling men of purity, wisdom and
ability further and further from politics
into intrinsically inferior employments?
Why are the associations of political life so
increasingly distasteful to gentlemen Why
are talents diverted from administration of
the affairs of city, State or nation into the
management OF railroads. factories, banks
and hundred other varieties of business
enterprise, or into the secusion of profess
sional pursuits? Why is the standard Of
qualification for public trust lower than
it is for a private trust? There are many
causes, and the one to which we especially
direct attention to-day is the multiple
cation of ''bread and butter" politicians.
BY a ''bread and butter" politician
we mean a man who applies himself to
politics for living precisely mechanic
does to his trade, and who is at as great a
loss for an occupation if he is thrown out
of politics as a dram seller would be if bis
bar were closed by prohibitory liquor
| law There is little need to describe the
species minutely-not much more than
there is to explain what the words
plumber" carpenter" or "blacksmith"
signify. If any New Yorker is so in
experienced that he does not recognize
its existence let him step into the City
Hall and look ut the occupants of most of
the desks in the building, or let him run
over list Of the public contractors
and identify the men when they fall in
his way, or let him attend one Of the
political primary meetings; or, best of all,
let him get adinittance us visitor to
caucus of the so-called General Committee
of either of the parties-Tammany, anti
Tammany, republican or greenback-it
makes no difference which. In any and all
of these places he will behold mass Of
men who do not follow politics for honor,
for patriotism. for the public good, nor
even from political conviction or love of
party, but solely tor living-at the best
for 'sbread and butter" at the worst tor
pelf Show them that they can profit more
by shifting from one party to another or by
dishonest coalitions. or by any kind Of
hugger-mugger, and there is no moral re-
straint powerful enough to prevent their
improving the chance. These men con-
stitute the so-called political machine.
They are the great practical negation OF the
theory of government by the people. They
assume the ground that popular govern
ment means government by the professional
politicians, and they have SO tenacious u
hold upon all Offices and all party organ
izations that dozen such revolutions as
would suffice to overthrow throne would
not be sufficient to root them out
These dread and butter" politicians in
this city control almost absolutely all tho
entrances into politics. Ii they let gem
tleman through they do SO solely from
motives of policy. He is admitted by their
sufferance, not by his own merits. Either
they want to varnish their ticket with his
respectability, if he commands large
measure of public esteem, or they expect
to .bleed" him for liberal contributions
into their political cash-box If he is
Lii. al