Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-04-01
NUMBER
EulOgy on Rankin.

personality of its subject Each trib
ute, taken alone, may mark one char
acteristic, one phase or habit of min,
too prominently. Although every lif,
has consistency and completeness t,
the man who lives it, to whom its ex
periences are as unit, yet its story il
not easily told by another, because eacl
one has but brief glance at the inneI
life of his friend where their ways run
together for little while. But from
the aggregated impressions of men We
get very near to the truth And so
here to day, from these many offering.
may be given to time a faithful, sym
metrical outline of Joseph Rankin life
My personal acquaintance with Mr.
Rankin was limited, though the public
life of few men in Wisconsin is more
familiar to me. For fifteen years he
was a political leader in his own State
And it has sadly happened that the best
indeed almost the only, test of his pow
ers in public service was made there
Mr. Rankin was man Of character
and ability, and he was by organization
and instinct politician.
/ use the word politician adyisedly
but with some hesitation, because con
fusion of thought and the disproportion
of ideas to words have often bound this
good word to bad service. A better
discernment and the growth of language
will finally restore it to correct usage.
Bestowed with consideration, it bespeaks
qualities of mind that challenge adj
miration and respect quick intelligence,
sound judgment, tireless energy, strong
resolution, commanding honesty. /
know well the careless speech of the
day associates political management with
much that is disreputable.
But sir, discrimination demands
another judgment
Stop and consider but for moment.
A man of strength and ability, in the
quiet pursuit of professional or business
life, wins the confidence of his neigh
bors and friends. They learn to rely
on his sagacity, to respect his Judgment,
to confdt in his honor and honesty. As
his circle enlarges and his powers are
tested further, they amply respond to
each new situation Finally, his politi-
cal party claims him for leadership and
public service. Men of all trades, all
professions, all pursuits follow his po-
litical management, second his efforts,
do his behest to advance the party Or
ganized about the principles to which
he and they are devoted.
Is there any reason, | reason, | ask
you, why his nature should meet with a
sudden moral revulsion, why he should
be instantly transformed into something
unclean, why men should all at once be
come his merchandise, why he should
henceforth measure principles by a
price, why he should become a iuggler
and a trickster? Is not such conclu-
sion irrational, unnatural, monstrous?
That within the compass of one human
organization such opposing elements
could be compounded is psychological
in. possibility.
| do know that there exists a crea-
ture who is to politics what the petit
logger is to the law; and | do know that
the pettifogger is not more loathed by
the lawyer than the political shyster by
the politician. Nor has the laws noble
profession been more dishonored by her
trickish knave than has politics by the
political shyster. For, with the genius
of impudence, the shyster has sometimes
stolen the livery of the politician to
dignity his calling and cover his political
crimes He does not often deceive the
discerning and rarely deceives any one
long, for he and the politician have alb
solutely no kinship, no attributes in
common. The politician capital in
life is the trust which he reposes in
others, which they in turn repose in him
the shyster's stock in trade is the mean
ness and dishonesty which he finds in
humanity.
The politician believes in the honor
of men. risks everything On individual
integrity; the shyster doubts every man
is a universal skeptic. 1t is not difficult
to distinguish between the two; and il
is discrimination that ought always t.
be made in thought and speech. The
key to the distinction is honesty Of
character. The politician can not exist
without absolute, unyielding, uncom
promising honesty. The same high re
gard for right conduct which earns con
idence in business and professional life
commands like tribute in politics. There
is no call to party or public service
where it is wanting; there is no contin
ued success where it is not held anC
cherished.
More is not claimed for the politician
than belongs to him. | have tried t.
strip the term Of its vile association.
and clothe it with its own dignity, in or
der to measure Mr.. Rankin rightly as 8
public man.
1t is not contended that he was q
statesman, although do think the
statesman and politician stand much
nearer together than current thought
comedies The difference in the mental
characteristics of these two classes Of
public men is more difference in de.
gree of power than in kind Mr. Rankin
did not attain to the creative genius Of
the statesman. He was quick to observe
and satisfy the public want, almost in
anticipation; but he was not one tc
mark out new course in governmental
advancement and mold the public minc
to its ready adoption
Mr. Rankin knew well the times il
which he lived; but the statesman MAKE
like companionship with the past ant
the future He saw clearly the legit
innate scope of his party principles; but
the vision of the statesman is bounded
only by the horizon of national posi-
bilities. But Mr.. Rankin had in com
mon with the statesman great sagacity
ready grasp of mind, superior energy
swift decision, bold, aggressive courage
Nor is there any difference in the
moral habit, the ethical sense of the pol
itician and the statesman BE he one
or the other, he stands the representive
of this principle or that party, only SC
| long as he stands erect in honor. One
deviation, one relaxation, one bending OF
principle, and he falls and falls forever
| Nayl woe to him though he Weld only