The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-27

PURITY IL PUBIC LIVE.
How about the purity Of our govern
ment today, Senator? Are politicians as
honest as they we're IN the past"
Political morality is higher today than 10 has
ever been II you look back over our history
you Will Eud the records Of pecu alton and
fraud. The yszo0 land scheme OF the days 81
Washington and Jefferson wAs greater Job
than has bsen before congress for generation
The very location Of this capital vGs the result
Of bargain into which some OF TIE weaker OF
our fo-efAthers were implicated, and do lOs
believe thai the average Of Official honesty las
ever been SO nlgn as rs Dow. No matter VIA.
may 5e saic 20 the contrary, the world Is grow
Ing better every day
OUR STATESMEN vs.. oUg FogEFATHERS
"A-e the public men Of today equal. in
your opinion, Senator, 20 those OF the
pas:?" said I.
In ability. yes In comparative reputation
for being sueh, no. The general average OF
states meushIp and intelligence hgs never been
high &c * . now. I do not know that We
have men who viii equal the two or three
greatest men Of our early history, but the gen.
eraI average 70 far higher. The good old times
OF cur fathers were days OF hero worship The
iconoclastic pen Of the indie pendent newspaper
correspondent hes 20 g large extent blotted tha.
element from our national character: and the
press and the general education 0. the people
have elevated the masses that the difference
between men is not 50 apparent. II used 10 -
that no Wing in Kentucky had an opinion on
any Of the public questions OF the day until
Henry Clay came home fTom Washington and
told them what the issues were and bow they
should he treated Then a few newspapers
controlled and made public opinion. Horace
Greeley and the New YORK Tribune were power.
The Richmond Wing and the National IHteLlt-
geneer mapped out TIE views Of millions. Now
nearly every nsn II the country reads The news
OF the whole world every morning. He f0rIns
his opinions upon public questions SIS so0l
any man IN Washington, AMI when the states
man goes back home he dnds his constituents
GG E--g a mont
70 Is done IS he Is
ADVICE 70 woULD-BE STATESMEN.
Senator, Won have been in politics all
your life. What should young man do
who wants to become statesman, and
does craftsmanship pay as profession 2"
There Is no money in public life, If that Is
what you mean By the question whether states
Taanship pays, and J doubt whether the tine
wall ever come when we viii have, as they have
IN Eng ana, class OF professional statesmen. l
believe every Young T1au should take an interest
in politics. He should keep himself informed
OF public questions, study the issues OF the Two
gteai parties a. the outset OF as career ana de-
eide which Of them is the nszrer right, and go
with IL. lie VIII find, every man finds. that
there are many things IL each party that he does
not Ike. There are some things IL the Republic
can party that ! ike better than those OF the
Democratic party bat they are not the material
Issues, and a man must unite with that party
when has prepoldeTance OF good and whose
main principles are nearest n accord with his
views co not believe in third parties. A man
cannot flock by himself in this country, and IL
he would do good OF accomplish anything be
must 90 with he party nearest him. The
Woula-De statesman should thoroughly study
American history. He should understand our
constitution aud the political institutions OF the
country, and little legal knowledge would not
hurt him. believe he should take an iuTeTes.
in local politics, Tor ii he wishes rise he must
begin a. the bottom, and the knowledge which
he gets al home as 10 the characters and motives
o. men WiII % Of value 10 him IN after life.
FRANK q. CAaPESTER