The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-06
STATESMEN vs.. POLITICIANS.
Reform Needed In Our Political Methods.
EH.f,r UniIn Tluls.

Editor Daily Times:
After reading DR.. Curry's remarks
made before the Powhatan Political Club
last night and reported in your to-day
paper, we can all realize the great bene-
tits that may spring from such clubs and
the great good that might arise from the
organization Of many such throughout
the country
There are thousands Of us young men
who are dissatisfied with the politics Of
both Of the existing parties who con
denim them as impure and unclean and
would have them bettered There are
thousands of Us who are unwilling 10 take
an active part in politics, because we are
unwilling 10 soil our skirts with the dirty
work that must necessarily be gone
through with in order to insure success.
To elect the smallest justice Of the peace
of the smallest constituency in the small
est State i'm the Union, more money is
spent than would support the candidate
during his term Of office, and more lies
told than he or his friends could ever re-
pent Of
We vote and do nothing else. We
neither speak, work nor try to teach as
things now 90, not because we are I'M
willing 20 work for our State. but be-
cause our honest thoughts and teachings
would not only be ridiculed, but defeat
our candidate. The political speaker,
instead Of attacking abuses, bellies his
honest opinions and teaches the ideas
whatever they may be- agreeable to his
audience lie teaches and does the
polite. not the siatesmanlike thing. And
Why Because il lac does not be cannot
hope 10 succeed In the present state of
affairs no man can be a statesman and
successful TO succeed he must be a
politician machine politician, and the
machine must be oiled with much money
and many smooth tOngued sentiments
IL is this condition that the Powhatan,
Club must change.
Probably the nrst statesman now living
I'm this country is President Cleveland
and probably the most accomplished
politician is Governor Hill, of New York
Cleveland, recognizing the South as part
of the Union and throwing aside sec
iional Feeling, came to Virginia and
chose DR. Curry and A. VI. Kelley to rep
resent this Government in the courts OF
foreign countries Il was a broad minded
,tatesman-like action, but il killed him
politically.
Cleveland believing that the people of
This Inited States were oppressed by the
existing tariff, and that "a reduction Of
This tremendous tax would be beneficial
TO the whole country. although injurious
TO few mOnOpOlists, inauguratcd
movement for the reduction of this bur
den, and from that moment he had no
chance of reelection His statemanlike
message on the Canadian fisheries 0ues-
ton contributed 10 his political death
His manly, upright. and consistent adj
minisiratiOn lost him his second term
Governor Hill on the contrary, oiled
the machine, and his tongue set his trie-
gers and pulled the wires He did no
great act, but always the polite, expe-
dient thing. and won by large majority
where Cleveland lost
The politician, unless there be some
radical change, must always win and the
statesman always lose
The Powhaian Club and Others Of this
kind must alter this condition of things
and give rs purer politics We who
want pure politics and not offices must
form these clubs and give our ideas prac-
tical form. Nothing can be done with
out concerted action. In the recent cleo
tion my party put up andidate / could
not conscientiously vote for Many of
my friends urged me TO vote for him be
cause he was the nominee while in the
same breath they echoed my statements
of bis unftness for the position an
iwered that as long as my party persist
ed in running men for responsible posi-
tons. not on their fitness, but on their
chance felection, SO long would | re-
fuse 10 vote.
Ny single protest will have no effect
lie viii be nominated again and elected
again, but if the Powhatan Club will
take him in hand, it will either reform
him or put up better man Y.