The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-12-20
A POOR PROFESSION.

ar idea of themselves or their brethren.
Big jobs and forgotten pledges, opposition
to many needed reforms and wise move
ments, little hut frequent acts of duplicity,
have gone far towards creating a de-
cidedly popular sentiment against
the politician, But we do not share
IN TINS very general prejudice, nor
are we prepared to believe that the men
VINO make politics and Office seeking bust
ness are, as class, any worse than other
men IN different callings. 1t is true they
learn OF necessity, to be polite, and pro.
Tess oNeh, great regard for this or that
man. or this or that measure, while their
hearts are secretly opposed to or even
olt'er against both but they do no more
Ill TINS particular than the merchant or the
banker or the insurance agent or the ho-
Tel Keeper or the journalist, or for that
matter, any other man who is
dependent upon the good will and
patronage of the public for support. The
iact Is they come as class from the same
sort oil stock, are reared in the same char
acter OF homes, under the same political,
business, moral and religious institutions
and articles Of belief that all other citizens
are subjected to and moulded by and it is
absurd therefore to charge them generally
with any greater depravity than character
ICES the majority Of men. The science OF
government, as well as its practical OPP
erations, should be studied and car
ried on by somebody and it is
better that experienced men, who have
made such things their business, should
as rule be entrusted with the rens than
that crude and unframed thinkers in
the premises should be depended upon for
The management and administration of the
multiplied agencies and exigencies of gov
eminent. In short, politics is profession,
business, and the practical politician il
not only useful, but he is a necessity. The
prejudice therefore among the masses
against him is absurd and unwise. But,
while we do not share in the seemingly uni
yersal adverse sentiment toward
this particular order of our citizens, we can.
not find it possible to advise the adontion
Of the calling by the young men, or old
who wish for permanent success in life
BY the very Constitution and pcculiaritics
OF our political system, the young men.
those with brains and ambition, are prone
to rush into the walks OF public life, and at
mn age when, in other countries, men arc
Just beginning to take hold of Government
affairs, become confirmed politicians with
habits and tastes totally uniting them
for any other life. Failure, therefore
means failure of life to them. Particu.
larly are such minds drawn into the yorfcy
of politics when they dream over the great
ness and fame of a Pitt or Mirabeau. II Icc.
icrson or Webster. In the hevdav of lif,
and hope only those names are seen which
are synonymous with power and great
achievements and in the enthusiasm of tLe
first start the wrecks and failures are for.
gotten. The last year of American politics
to so no farther back, furnishes much food
for reelection upon the past of those
who are pursuing the ignis fatnus of
political fame, and when contrastcd
with the accumulation of riches and mower
and the assured permanency and brilliancv
OF the success of thousands In the other
aud business walks of life cannot but teach
salutary lessons and furnish the plain.
est warnings. In the United States Senate
just one year ago McsSrs. Conk.ing and
Blaine and Thurman were the recognized
intellectual lights. Neither Webster, nor
Clay, nor Pitt when he dominated the
House ofCommons, ever possessed more
prestige or power than they and yet not one
OF them to-day has q voice in public affairs
but all have been driven by the
uncertain and changing conditions of pub.
lie opinion into q "dignifcd obscurity.n
On the other hand, the man who was turned
out of subordinate position of the gov.
ernment not two years or more ago, is the
President OF the United States, while his
predecessor after a life's struggle. was con.
signed to the grave by an assassin's hand
Just as he had reached the long sought for
goal, But Curtin and Seymour and Tilden
and Trumbull and host of others, still in
the prime of intellectual manhood, and who
once were the princes in American politics
in their present station and post
history but repeat the story of the
vanity OF political career hovey.r nro,,-
Using and brilliant and are indisputoblc
testimonials of the poverty ofpolitics as n
profession Instances without number
might be cited, but these are enough. Poll.
tics is poor profession. 1t is poor pay and
thankless and being dependent upon will
or opinion, that of the ever excitable and
too often unjust mass, as unstable ms
water" gives no promise that ambition will
ever be realized or success achieved or fi,me
won. For these reasons We regret TO sec
SO many ofthe young and talented men of
he country devoted to this idle of clay and
wasting energies and gifts that might In
other channels provc ar
unmeasured benefit to the material
greatness of their country and secure for
their posscssor both power and wealth, both
fame and an enduring success. In the
growing enterprises of the day, the cstab.
lshment of great highways OF trade md
the building up of powerful corporation,
the tunnelns Of mountains, thu bridging