Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-08-04
The Young Man IN Politics.

SOAs l.. W. 11Ao0IN5ON iCCtuLCu q low
days since before the students of Harvard
College on "Tbe Young Man in Politics"
The speaker began by urging the i'm
portance of greater interest in public
affairs on the part of college students and
noted the fact that a reaction toward that
desirable state of things was already set
ting In. He quoted Fisher Ames' famous
comparison of a monarchy and repub-
lic-the former to beautiful ship, the
latter to solid raft; the "ship will some
day strike rock and go down; the raft
never sinks, but your feet are always in
the water" The water, said Mr.. Higgin.
son, is public life; whether clean or dirty,
you cannot always stop to question. To
enter into that life, and to deal success.
fully with men, should be the aim of
every young man; and the speaker pro-
ceeded to give some practical hints sug-
gested by this duty.
First. The power of actual work in DO.
litical life is thing quite apart from
theory, historical knowledge or scientific
speculation. There is no one thing in
which college-bred young man ID more
mistaken than in supposing that all vir-
tue comes from the theorists and all vice
from those in practice. Students make
two classes of men, statesmen on the one
side Gncluding themselves) and poll
tlcians on the other, who are supposed to
be the incarnation of evil, and to include
all those elected to Office, when they them
selves are not. But the attributes that
make man practical worker in poll
tics are in some degree distinct from the
qualities that make UP the abstract stu
dent, philosopher or statesman, but they
are specific and valuable qualities, to be
respected in others and cultivated IN
one's-self 1t is great mistake to sup
pose that the men who have spent their
lives working in the caucus or distribut-
ing votes are inferior or bad men. The
young man must learn the qualities that
make up success, energy, courage, tact,
foreslght,-the military qualities, they
may be called,-a must learn not mere
ly to express his ideas, but when the time
comes so to concentrate those ideas in an
available measure. and to force them
through by the influence of his own tact,
that he shall not be merely theoretical,
but practical leader among men.
Secondly, only practical experience can
teach one the influence of character
the influence which even the minority ex-
ercise over the majority. Sucn is this
conservative influence that 1t shows its
power over the most reckless men when
in power. 1t is what guarantees us, after
all, tolerably good political administra.
ton. 1t teaches US that, after years of
Democratic rule, the country lives and
prospers, after the Republicans have as.
sumed the controlling power; and that
when after years of Republican rule the
Democrats again come into Office the
country still survives.
Thirdly, every young man about to en-.
ter political life should abandon the
patronizing feelIng-the feeling that he
confers favor on the community by par
ticipating in its affairs. Splendid careers
are brought to an untimely close simply
on account of patronizing way assumed
plish much through the press, or by
direct contact with the world, until he
has got the nonsense in him thor
oughly knocked out, and has learned
that he must have faith in his fellow-men,
hearty respect for the average good
sense and ability of the American people,
LIZ is not necessary, as some foolishly
think, to lower one's-self in any way in
order to win success-at least the highest
success. II mean," said Mr.. Higginson,
1.-THE success OF Curtis and not of Conk-
ling" For that sort of success it is not
necessary to let one's.self down; if one
does so provided, for the sake Of argu-
ment, that he Is up) he tails in the long
run. In conclusion Mr.. Higginson said:
People like an independent man, and life
is rich in opportunities in one way or in
another. would fain hope that I have
done something to give you faith in
those opportunities, and I hope it may
some time be said of some CT you, as was
once said OF Phillip Sidney: This illus.
trious gentleman might have been the in
ventor of new style or art, but he pre-.
fe-red to be an ornament to his country"