Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-04-01
OLD MEN.
Industrial and Political FOgyism.

Industrial and Political Fogyism.
Never was advice more timely and
better worth receiving and following
than that impaired by Ex-Governor
Seymour when he said: "Those who
have been prominent in shaping the
policy of the Democratic party are
getting old and infirm and are dying
out, and as I am the oldest, l expect
to lead off. The quarrels among
Democrats are over old men, and it
is the height of folly to continue them.
The old men will all pass away in
two or three years at the most, and
then the young and vigorous men
who are left will find themselves en-
Uttered towards each other on ac-
count of men that are dead and gone
and are not worth fighting over. l
spent the early and best part of my
life in espousing the cause of old men,
and many and bitter were the quar-
rels l had in their behalf. The
wounds received rankle to this day,
and the animosities engendered many
of them have never been forgotten or
allayed. 1 fought bitter fights over
Clay, Cass and Van Buren, and others,
and before 1 knew it they we're all
dead. 1t is foolish for the young to
waste their time quarrellng over, or
espousing the cause of old men,"
Few, indeed, of those that were
prominently in active life prior to
1860, remain. Not to recur to the
slaughter of the war, the invariable
rule of existence is imam goeth to
his home" Fortunately, "the Earth
endureth,"" and with every generation
come men with new ideas and new
methods. The few. old men that sur
vive r the exceptions, and belong
to the past. Society has got ahead
of them. This is the era of progress,
education and freedom. These are
the days of steam and electricity.
Railways cross the continent, steam
ers plough the ocean, and telegraphs
span the world. Invention presides
in the workshops, intelligence del7es
in the mines. Competition promotes
production, and universal rivalry
stimulates trade. The old cannot
comprehend this activity.
1t makes their heads swim, and
they constantly stand in the way,
prophecying disaster and demanding
breaks. ALI this is sheer folly. There
is no need of even a breathing spell.
The present is a young athlete strip
ping for its C So far, its efforts
are but its gambols. And yet, sur
prising as it may appear, these old
fogies have their influence and their
followers. In this community, as in
all others, there are those that would
block the car of progress, and remit
society to its old ways, to Its slow
coach, hand loom and cared barge,
for NO higher purpose than that the
lasggard idle might find employment.
Luckily their desires are beyond
their reach. Were it otherwise, the
world would come to a stand still.
What has been advanced applies
with as much force to what is political
as to that which is industrial. Despite
the croackers, what do active poll
ticians of the present a + for the
statesmen of the past? Who ever in
terests himself in their contentious?
Who aims to think and act as Jeffer-
son, Jackson or Benton thought and
acted? Old Billions "'Thirty Years
in the Senate is an unread book, and
still there are those that think dem0c-
racy ought to continue forever in the
old routes, without adaptation of its
principles to the progress of the age.
Now, if there is anything in democ-
racy worth contending for, it must
relate not to the past, but the present
and future. 1t must also imp~ersonate
civilization and conform to the asper-
ations of those that lead. No mere
painted figure-head, no matter how
antiquated OR venerated, can repre-
sent either progress or policies that
can interest the head and heart of the
great body industrial and political
What is most immediately sought fol
is better management, and moro up
propriate government than has beer
received from the republican party
Instead Of partizanship, there mus
be patriotism. In place of perfidy.
there must be faithfulness. Taxes
mnst be lessened, the arrogance ant
tyranny of Incorporated capital mus
be arrested, and where combination
is unavoidable it must be better reg
nlated.
Individual development must b
encouraged, and the public welfar
promoted. These are the cravings G
the hour, and to commend itself t
the active and intelligent, democrac
must satisfy those cravings by ii
methods and through those it sha
select to impart efficaciousness t
ANTI-THIRD TERMERS.
The committee of which ex-Senat,
John B. Henderson is chairman, ar