The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-11-11
A TIEaE OF ROMANCE AsouT PUBLIC

Wealt and finally influence have
AZ yet not done much in this country
toward bringing out or insurins .
career for public men. The son of
a Lord and the heir to his title does
not find much difficulty in obtaining
a seat in the House Of Commons.
He is brought forward by his friends.
The family influence, wealth and
social position are enlisted for his
success. It is a rare circumstances
in the Uuited States that son suc-
ceeds his father as a member of Con-
gress, or gets there At all. The
poverty OF Henry Clay, as 3 boy.
did not hinder him from being one of
the most conspicuous public charac-
trrs the country has produced. 1t
was always reckoned a circumstance
which made for his popularity that
he had been a poor boy, without
family influence or powerful friends.
Lincoln knew the poverty and pri-
vation of frontier life. When lie be-
came conspicuous public character
it pleased the multitude that he had
once split rails, and had from the
hnmblest condition worked his way
SLOWLY and patiently to success. If
wealth aud family influence had been
enlisted early on his side. probably
no Abraham Lincoln won have
made such figure in the history Of
the counry. While there is no merit
in ea.ly poverty, and it is often in
the way aa a formidable obstacle.
the mass of the people always like
20 contrast it with the better condl-
lion which any famous man has
finally reached ny hard work. Pres
ident johnson did not learn TO read
until he had attained his majority,
and he was proud Of the fact that he
had worked for years as q tailor.
AT that time he was about as un-
likely man to become President OF
the United States as any in the ma
tion. The turn Of fortune was a
striking one. Cicero boasted that he
had held succession Of offices az
soon as he had arrived at the legal
a.e. Johnson boas,ed that when ht.
had arrived at similar age he was a
tailor, and claimed that he was
good one..
Grant had military education,
and an unprosperous career for m my
years as a military man. For that
reason be threw up his command and
learned the mysteries of tanning
leather. He was glad to get living
by close attention to the business.
of the shop. He certainly would not
have been selected then as one likely
to have the most famous military
career Of. any man in che country.
Grant in tannery and Grant receiv-
ing the homage Of Kings as one. of
the greatest and most successful
Captains of the age, are the extreme
phases IN the life of this remarkable
man. Neither wealth nor family
influence helped him a, al to sue
cessful career.
Garfield was glad to earn a few
dollars a month by manual labor,
and happy that he could save some
part of it for his education. When
the future president vas teaching
school he was glad for such IN oppor-
tunity to become useful to Others.
Arthur had his school experience,
and was glad to earn few dollars in
the winter scafon by teaching schooi
in Northern New York.
The late Chief Justice Waite went
to Cincinnati as law student with
hardly money enough, 10 pay a
mouths expenses. David Davis
managed to get through western
college, but he was as p,or az q
church mouse, and went To the from
tier to practice law, because b. sup
posed poor young man would have
= better chance to get along in the
world. Stephen A. Douglas went to
Illinois for the same reason. He |
taught school as a means for procu-
ring enough to help him along with
his own education.
In England, the wealth and the.
family influence, which would have
been used To push the political for
tunes OF young men, would have been
a hindrance in the cases cited at |
home. Wealth never, has greater
than. now in this country. |
But 1t does not insure conspicuous
careers for young men. 1t canno,
work out the "succession," or desig-
nate this or that young man as IN
the line for political promotion. The
uOor yOunU man will fiuht the hattie