Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-24
THE PRACTICAL POLITICIAN.
He Is Not Always ms Bad a Man as He
Is Oftcn Pictured TO BE.

He Is Not Always ms Bad Man as He
is Often Pictured to BE.
By the ordinary citizen of the educated
GLASS the practical politician IL thought to
be man who, though sometimes perhaps
having good intentions, is nevertheless led
by selfish motives, in the main, to do sell
fish, corrupt and dishonest 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
nets which to him are unpleasant; which
are perhaps on the whole unfortunate for
the country, but which, under the circum-
stances, are still u stern necessity. TO be
sure, among the "work ers" will be found
many who care neither for country nor
party, nor even for leader, though that is
rare; but in the higher ranks the proper
tion Of the consciously dishonest, although
possibly larger than that Of the same class
among merchants or lawyers, is still small.
Most of our oiliceholderS in the higher
legislative and executive positions are ut
bottom rs honest, Woodworking and self
sacrificing as men of other classes. The
Submerged tenth" have dragged 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
tiCan 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 wort, that he really does.
When the people really see things as
| they are, know what ought to he done, and
demand that action he 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
/ it. lie may help to create and guide pub
/ lie opinion, but that dirty is equally in
/ culnbcnt upon lawyers, preachers, teachers
and all good and intelligent citizens. We
need to distinguish in this regard the re-
former and even the statesman, from the
politician. 1t is She business of the poll
tician, and the business is "a worthy one to
care for the interests of his party, and
thereby. - it appears to him, for the in
tcreStS of the state, and his party interest :
cannot be cared Tor unless he follows pub
lie opinion. To the politician also "the
public means not merely the educated on
the good citizens, bat all citizens who have
votes. If then We expect the politician u
change his methods of action, we must in
some way bring it about hat by the change
more votes will he gained to the party in
power than will bc lost.
\ politician knows very well that be docs
many things that are condemned by The
most enlightened con,ciences; he does
many things that are to himself disagreed
bic and that trouble even his well trained
conscience but as has been said, to him
these acts are necessary, and he does then
as other good people do necessary lrlt I'M
pleasant tasks. When he can he made t.
see that it will he better, not for himself
personally, but for the success of the part
which, let Inc repeat, to him means tn,
good of the countrY-t0 change the meth
DDS of conducting elections, nobody will b,
lnorc ready to change than he Indeed. a
vote buying is in reality a very unpleasant
business for many of our most Influential
poli,icianS--so much sothat many of them
while directing it, will never tncm,elJr
take any part in it-no one will work NOR
actively 60 make this practice unnecc. Sar,
than they viii, if it can tie clearly shoWi
that a change to a better system Of carry
ing elections is Observation-Disclosures J
W. jerks in Century.