Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-25

Statesmen Who Have Devoted Them
selves to Political Literature-Lons and
Mcpherson as statisticians
Especial Correspondence
New YORK, Oct 3.-Mr. John r. Van
Wormer, who is secretary of the Union
League club of New York city, having
been asked to make some political speeches.
desired to examine certain books contain.
ing statistics and authoritative statements
Among them was a book entitled "Young's
Statesman's Guide" Mr.. Van Wormer
was astonished to find that it was impossi-
bic 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 DO
ltical canvass.
The politicians of both parties have been
saying that in the memory of no man now
engaged in active politics is there recollec.
tion of a canvass SO apparently free from
excitement and great popular interest as
Is the present one and many have won
dered whether this indicated content with
present conditions, indifference or the dy-
ing out of such interest in national politics
as tends to spectacular demonstration ev-
cry four years.
Mr., Van Wormer 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 by correspondents from all
parts of the United States to furnish this,
that or the other work of a political nature
so that the suggestion is that while the
political interest is not SO noisy as it has
been in times past, it is intense, and is di-
rected rather to private study of political
questions than to exciting campaigns, al
though in some parts of the country en-
thusiasrn seems to be of the old time sort.
This feeling existing, it is quite likely
that the political text book recently issued
under the editorship of Ex-Governor Long,
of Massachusetts, will find wide circula-
tion. Years ago before John d. Long be-
came an active politician his disposition
was toward literary career. He trans
lated with some efelicity the Eneid'' of Vir
gil, and he wrote essays which fixed upon
him the attention of such severe critics as
Mr.. Lowell. With these early efforts Mr..
Longs venture into the field of literature
ended. He became instead student of.
that his oration at the Chicago convention
of 1884 deserves to be ranked with the
speeches of William M. Evarts, George
William Curtis. Roscoe Conkling, Colonel
Ingersoll and Daniel Dougherty upon sim
liar occasions.
Leaving public life, in order to save his
professional practice as lawyer, Governor
Long has done no 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 at the time
of the battle which bears the name of that
town. He was an intimate friend of Pres
ident Lincoln. To him Lincoln showed
the draft of the Gettysburg Grafton, which
the critics now agree in pronouncing to he
an American classic which will live as long
as the English language endures.
After retiring from congress Mr.. Nc
Pherson devoted himself partly to litera-
ture, and was for some years the editor of
the Philadelphia Press He is regarded as
probably the best informed man on the sta
tistics of politics now living. His memory
is phenomenal. His capacity is rather that
of a statistician than profound thinker
or a 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
tion will turn for authentic information.
Mcpherson has probably furnished the
stump speakers of both parties with more
material than any other man has ever done
who has written of American politics. No
L l. L 1. - ! a
speakers, the fountain from which they
have drawn their facts and the inspira-
tion 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 be fact that nearly
every man of literary capacity who has
served in congress has had some such
scheme in mind upon retiring.
Henry Cabot Lodge gave up literary
career to become politician. He had
written several volumes giving concisely
and most entertainingly sketches of the
careers of Hamilton and other statesmen
of the early era. AT one time he thought
seriously of writing political history of
the American people, modelled somewhat
upon McMaster's history, but the tempta
tions of active political life and the ex-
traordinary opportunities he had for enter
ing it caused him to put aside that purpose.
Carl Schurz having quilted public life,
began a study of American political his
tory with view of writing what he hoped
would be an enduring work, but with the
exception of a 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-
mances; but of all the men who have been
prominent in public affairs and who have
conceived the idea of writing comprehen-
sive political history, only two have given
to the world works of permanent value.
Old Bullion Benton, as he was called,
the father-in-law of John G. Fremont,
wrote after his retirement political his
tory extending from 1920 to 1850-a work
that has been of immense value to states
men and politicians since. James G. Blaine
continued the narrative, taking the polit-
ical history as it was made under his eye
down to 1880. Benton's volume has little
literary skill, while Blaine's is superior in
this respect; but the young man who reads
them both understandingly will have in
mind information which is better than
anything which he can gather in the polit-
icaI vaa1- hook II T EDwARDs