The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-14
Especial Corrcspondencc.l

Especial COrrcspondencc.1
NEW YORK, Oct. Mr.. John r. Van
Wormer, who is secretary of the Union
League club of New York citv, having
been asked to make some political speeches,
desired to examine certain books contain
Ing statistics and authoritative statements.
Among them was Il book entitled "Youngs
Statesman's Guide" Mr.. Van Wormer
was astOniShed to find that it was impossi-
BILE to get this book anywhere. He spent
many hours searching in the secondhand
book stores without success. But he found
one curious condition in the present 10
litical canvass.
The politicians of both parties have been
saying that i'll the memory of no man now
engaged in active politics is there rccollec-
ton of canvass so apparently free from
excitement and great popular interest as
Is the present one, and many have won
dcrcd whether this indicated content with
present conditions, Indifference or the ,ly-
ing out of such interest in national politics
rs tends to spectacular demonstration ey-
cry four years
Mr.. Van Wormcr discovered that the
demand for books, either of historical, sta
tistical or practical political discussion, has
been unprecedented. The publishers of
such works declare that the call for them
has been amazing. The proprietors of
secondhand book stores say that they have
been asked 10y correspondents from all
parts of the United States to furnish this.
that or the other work of II political nature,
so that the suggestion is that while the
political interest Is not so noisy rs it has
been in times past. it Is intense, and is di-
rcctcd rather TO private study of political
questions than to exciting campaigns, nj
though i'll some parts of the country en-
thusasm seems to he of the old time sort.
This feeling existing, it is quite likely
that the political text book recently issued
under the cditorship of Ex-Governor Long.
OF Massachusetts, will find wide circula.
ton. Years ago before John d. Long be-
came nm active politician his disposition
was toward n literary career He trans
lated with some felicity the "IEneid" of Vir-
gil, and ho wrote essays which fixed upon
him the attention of such severe critics rs
Mr.. Lowell With these early efforts Mr..
Longs venture into the field of literature
ended. He became instead n student of
or;tory, and there are many who think
that his Grafton ut the Chicago convention
oaAsH deserves to he ranked with the
Speeches of William NJ. Evarts, George
William Curtis. Roscoe Conkling, Colonel
lngersoll and Daniel Dougherty upon sim
liar occasions.
Leaving public life, in order to save his
Long has done 10 literary work until he
undertook this political text book.
Mr.. Edward Mcpherson, who, like Gov
ernOr Long, has served in congress- has been
the most prominent Of all those who have
compiled political year books Mcpherson
was in congress during the war, repre-
senting the Gettysburg district Mt the time
OF the battle which bears the name of that
town. He was an intimate friend OF Pres
idcnt Lincoln. To him Lincoln showed
the draft of the Gettysburg Grafton, which
the critics now agree in pronouncing to be
an American classic which will live rs lonu
as the English language cndurcs
After retiring from congress Mr. Me
Phcrson devoted himself partly to litera-
turc, and was for some years tho editor os
the Philadelphia Press He is regarded us
probably the best informed man OH the STA
tistics OF politics now living His memory
is phenomenal. His capacity is rather that
o! StatisticiHn thnn II profound thinker
or II writer Of literary charm. His yearly
compilations are the recognized authori-
ties, and To them the future student of
American political history OF this genera
ton Will turn for authentic information
Mcpherson has probably furnished the
stump speakers Of 10th parties with more
mntcrial than my other man has ever done
who has written of American politics. No
speaker himself, he has been the guide of
speakers, the fountain from which they
have drawn their facts and the inspir;i-
ton for some Of the best stump speeches
delivered by men OF his own party
Mcpherson and Governor Long as well
have had in mind the writing of a history
of some particular phase of American poll
tics, and it is said To he II fnct that nearly
every man of literary capacity who has
served in congress has had some such
scheme i'll mind upon retiring.
Henry Cabot Lodge gave up Il literary
career to become IL politician. He had
written several volumes giving concisely
and most cntcrtaningly sketches of the
careers of Hamilton and other statesmen
of the early era. AT one time he thought
seriously OF writing II political history of
the American people, modelled somewhat
upon McAlnstcrs history, but the tcmpt;,-
tions of active political life and the cx-
traortinary opportunities he had for enter
ing it caused him to put aside hat purpose
Carl Schurz, having quilted public life,
began study of American political his
tory with Il view of writing what he hoped
would be m enduring work, but with the
exception OF ii very able monograph on
Abraham Lincoln and short life of Henry
Clay, Mr.. Schurz's idea has never been
carried out.
The number of personal "reminiscences
of men who have been in public life is
great, and the tendency is TO increase them.
Some of them are works of extraordinary
interest, being quite as fascinating as ro-
mnnccs; but of all the men who have been
prominent in public affairs and who have
conceived the idea of writing compreherY-
sive political history, only two have given
to the world works of permanent value.
Old Bullion Benton, as he WAS called.
kl1n fnf llnr -l.ltu If Lib,