The Dawson journal., 1884-06-19
A Lost Accomplishment.

there must be a refos3 Of the gov
eminent. As modesty seems to be a
lost accomplishment in modern
craftsmanship, the places for relorma-
ton to begin is among those no
seek office AT the hand Of the people.
There was time in the history of
the United States, and il has not
been so long ago that moderately
young men cannot remember ii,
when it was deemed important to
send to our state legislature and to
the halls Of congress men of expert
ence in affairs, and with a reasonable
amount of useful knowledge applica-
BILE to the work to be done. Gentle
men of education and mental train
ing were to be found in every legis-
lative body, and in large measure
controlled Legislation. This natural
order of things passed away with
many other conservative features Of
earlier days, aud now we are expert
menting upon the problem Of the val
lie and possibilities Of ignorance and
inezperience in politics, giving The
word politics its true definition
"the science or the art OF govern
ment, or the administration Of ma
tional orpublie affairs Under this
definition, how many politicians, or
men versei in the science Of govern
ment, have we in public life? In
deed, how many Of our would-be
statesmen ever saw the definition or
studied The science they are presum-
ell to be familiar with? As an art it
is true they may have made politics
a study, but only in The line Of sue
cess in getting forward have given it
serioIs attention How to get
to the Legislature, to congress, or
to the upper house of congress, is
the art most assiduously studied by
our modern politicians. We have
only to note the names of candidates
for any ana every vacancy that may
occur in state or national Legislature
to see a fair illustration OF how read
lily men judge themselves fitted for
position for which they have not
made the slightest preparation. A
few years earlier in American histo-
ry, gentlemen who now announce
themselves as candidates for the
lower house Of congress or aspire to
a seat in the United States senate
would have been laughed at il they
had the presumption to advance
such claims before the public eye
Now the matter seems entirely
changed and there are many who eau
recall The fact that candidates for
congress have stumped the counties
by rural districts, getting up prima-
ries aud trading fayors in order to
get what he asks.
Now that the con gressional cam
paign Of the fourth congressional
district has virtually opened by the
selection of delegates from Chatta,
hoochee county, it will be well for us
to begin the reform that is needed to
select a candidate whose fitness will
sntitla him to consideration, The
thinking and conservative elemsnt Of
the democracy of the fourth congress
sional district have no desire to see
the scramble for official position and
prcfcrment that has often in times
past been to them exceedingly OBJ
noXioas. That it is entirely the
fault of those who are candidates for
the high position and enter into
schemes and tricks to manipulate
counties in order to get the delega
tons, no one viii for a moment ques
ton. AS disroputable as this may
he, it is often that the man who
thinks big Of himself, and has til,
art Of inaacing others to think as l.,
thinks, who gets on in politics al
now understood.
1t is no reflection upon such gen
| tlemen's characters that they are no
statesmen, but it is a reelection upor
the people Of the various counlie
t that they are not qualified to selse
t their delegates without the aid {
d congressional candidates Men VIII
5 engage il these "log-rolliug' Semen
es are not worthy to represent ii
district, and it is sincerely hope
0 that there will be none OF ii DARN
c the present campaign.