The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-06-23
LIVE SPEECH.
ADDRESS OF CONGRESSMAN
BRYAN. OF NEBRASKA, AT
ROA NOkE COLLEGE, VA.
Young Men i'm Politics.

an, Of Nebraska, delivered the al
dress before the literary soci. ties.
After few Introductory rem arks
Mr.. Bryan said:
81 have selected for my suhje It
'1Orng Men in Politics. because |
feel that there is IA widespread
heresy IN connection with this mat
ter that needs correction. There is
a general impression that politics is
degrading. People )metimes sueak
of men descending ilto politics, "a
1t 1T were beneath them. You 9
Eien are warned against its contami-
mating influence. Some boast of the
fact that they do not have anything
To do with politics, and count the
years since they last attended Il eau
Gus or primary. Have you not
heard good people express pity for
so'ne young man who has entered
the political arena as the earnest
champion of friend, a principle or
as candidate himself?
Il desire to enter my emphatic
protest against such sentiments as
these. In a land like ours, where
the laws are made, Interpreted and
executed by officers elected by the
people, it is iHnperatively necessary
that all should participate in poIi-
ties, and that public service should
Oiler It's rewards to the best and
purest in the land. He has lost
faith in republican government and
in true democracy who believes that
1t is necessary to deliver the ma
chinery of government over to un-
scrupulOuS men. There is much in
partisanship, as we sometimes see
it, to excite disgust and even alarm;
but may we not hope that, as the
years go by, as war questions are le-
| placed by economic ones, as men be-
| gin TO realize that the salvation Of!
the country does not depend neces
sarlly upon the dominance Of any
particular party, the old rule that a
member Of party must vote for
every one upon his ticket regardless
o. his qualifications will become ob
solete. Duty to country is rising
above fealty to party. Parties will
continue; they are absolutely neccs
sary in a free country, but they will
exist as servants, not as masters, of
the people. Men will learn that the
best way to preserve a party is to
defeat bad men whenever, by manip-
nlation Of the wires, they are able
to secure nomination.
PURITY IN POLITICS.
''Purity in politics is not an 'iri
descent dream That corruption
wins not more than honesty is as
true Of public service as of any 9th
er department of life. "A good
name is rather to be chosen than
great riches,' said the wise man. and
nowhere does the statement apply
with more force than to politics. ]
do not mean that perfection is to be
found here-We do not look for that
in man or in the works of man, but
I do say that immOralitles are han
dicaps, never helps, in the race, and
if we occasionally find men III eX
alted stations whose lives are stain
ell by some great imperfections, We
are sure to find some great virtues
that make their average high
When the vices Of men are success
fully used as their recommendation
in winning votes, and not unit
then, can we justly say that up
rightness does not pay. There are
tenn ptatiOns TO he overcome, there
are dangers to be guarded against
there is evil to be met and conquer
ed, and he will succeed best who il
best armed for the fight. In tht
home the young man should b'
trained for the contest, not taugh
to avoid it. 1t used to he the pride
of Roman matronS that they were
able to rear strong and cOurageou
= offspring fer the battlefield. 81
to-day with American mothers, n
IN their old age with locks whitenet
by the SHOWS Of many winters they
await the inevitable sum" Ons from
the further shore, it should be thei
glory and their pride that they have
been able to train for their country
brave, manly sons who could ente
politics without contamination ant
, engage in public service withou
decentralization.
, THE SCIENCE OF GOVERNMENT.
''The science of government, TO
that is what politics means, is nc
; bic science, and may well engag
T.. the attention of every patriotic citi
zen. The age of statesmanship
not past. 1t is a mistaken idea tina
only in revolutionary periods 0
times of great excitement or of civi
! war, talent of high order is sppre
: ciated or needed. Sometimes tn
gravest dangers beset the yeais c
peace, for confidence begetS indiffel
ence, and indifference is the frultft
soil from which many politics
evils spring. The complaint whic
, we often hear of the use of corrui
methods in politics is largely due
this Indifference among the people
Lulled to rest in fancied securlt!
} men neglect those duties of citizer
, ship which are just as imperatlv
in times of quiet as in tiues of wa
. and Just as necessary to be perform
ed at home as upon the tented fielt
The absence of upright and homes
men from the caucus and the col
vention invites corruption, Will
their presence at the places whei
public opinion is formed and tn
real selection of public officers mad
would cause the buying of votes an
the selling of influence to flee ava.
POWER OF AN HONEST MAN.
: "There is a power in the presene
!: of an honest man. Fraud, consciot
of guilt, avoids his sight. Much
10 be done by the education OF
healthy public sentiment. The pu
: pit, the press and every. education;
r society can be useful in impressin
= upon such as are Indifferent sens
of their duty as citizens. Let to
bribe-giver be as severely censule
as the ibe-taker. Let it be as dii
reputable fol the rich man to buy
fol the poor man to sell vote. LIE