Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-12-01
PRACTICAL POLITICIAN.
L" i -; Always as BAD Man as lie
= Often Pictured 70 Be.


= Often Pictured 70 Be.
ily the ordinary citizen Of the educated
MSS The practical politician is thougat to
be Il man who. though some; ines perhaps
having good Intentions, is nevertheless led
by selfish motives, in the main, to do sell
fish, corrupt and Gishouc deeds. In his
own eyes the practical politician of the
higher grade is a patriotic citizen working
for the good of party upon the success of
which depends the welfare of the country.
He feels in many cases that he is driven to
acts which TO him are unpleasant; which
are perhaps on the whole unfortunate for
the country, but which, under the circum-
stances, are still a stern Necessity. To be
sure, among the workers will be found
many who care neither FOR country nor
party, nor even for leader. though that is
r;;re; but in the higher ranks The proper
ton of the consciously di. ,oAcst, although
possibly larger than Shat vf the same class
among merchants or law. crs is still small.
Most of oar oGicchoiders in the higher
legislative and executive positions are at
bottom as honest, hardworking and self
sacrificing as men of other classes The
Submerged tenth" have jagged the repu-
tations of their fellow politicians lower
than truth would permit Us to declare their
characters to be. These differences of
opinion with reference to the character of
the practical politician come largely from
lack OF knowledge on the part of the public
as TO the circumstances in which the poll
tlclan Is placed and as to the pressure that
is brought to bear upon him as well as
from ignorance of the amount of excellent
self sacrificing work that he really does.
When the people really see things as
they are, know what ought to be done, and
demand that action be taken, the politician
will be ready and prompt to act. The
politician cannot act until he feels that
public opinion is with him; his business
In fact, and in justice, too, in the main, is
not TO guide public opinion but to follow
1t. He may help to create and guide pub
lie opinion, but that duty is equally in
cumOent upon lawyers, prea chers. teachers
ana all good and intelligent citi2nns. We
need to distinguish in this regar. the re
former, and even the statesman. from the
politician. 1t is the BUSH ess OF the poll
tician, and the business is a worthy one, to
care for the interests of his party. and
thereby, as it appears to him, for the in
terests of the state, and his party interests
cannot be cared for unless lie follows pub
he opinion. To the politician also '.the
public means not merely the educated or
the good citizens, but all cit zens who have
votes. If then we expect the politician to
change his methods of action. we must in
some way bring it about that bythe change
more votes viii be gained to the party in
power than Will be lost.
y politician knows very VOL that he does
many things that are condemned by the
most enlightened conscieuces: he does
many things that are to him self disagreea-
bic and that trouble even his well trained
conscience; but, as has beer said, to him
these acts are necessary, and he does them
as other good people do nece Ssary but I'M
pleasant tasks. When he cal be made TO
see that it viii be better, not for himself
personally, but for the success Of the party
which, let me repeat, to h m means the |
good OF the country-to change the meth !
DDS OF conducting elections, nobody will be |
more ready to change than h. Indeed. as |
vote buying Is in reality very unpleasant |
business for many of our most influential !
pohucians-so much so that many Of them. |
while directing it, will never themselves |
take any part in it-no one W Il work more |
actively to make this practice unnecessary |
than they will, if it can be clearly shown |
that change to better SYST EN- of carry
ing elections Is cticable.-Professor !
W. jerks in Century.