The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-11-16
POLITICS AS A PURSUIT.

mitted, is, or should be, one OF the mos
broadening, elevating and enobling thai
man can enter. Politics, the practice oi
craftsmanship, demands the possession
and control of all the GOODNESS OF gener-
al, the foresight of an explorer and the
persistency of a schoolmaam. The poll
tician must be versed 10 the ethics oil
craftsmanship He must be logician
and an orator, and thoroughly acquainted
with the needs Of the manufacturer, the
wants of the producer and consumer, the
necessities of the exchanger, and the de-
mands of the laborer. Above all, he must
be philaDthropist, in sympathy with all
classes over which the principles he advo-
Gates have jurisdiction.
Viewed in this light what science is
grander, what pursuit more broadening?
Such are the requisites of pure politl-
cian-a Utopian politician, if you please.
Snch qualities exercised in their fullest
development would constitute pure poll
tics. But, unfortunately, such is not prac-
tical politics.
The pursuit OF politics as more gener-
ally understood and, l believe, more gen.
orally practiced, is the pursuit OF that SCI
ence, or, perhaps more correctly, that art,
which consists in adhering strictly TO
those principles and persons, of whatever
nature they may be, which promise party
control or personal advancement The
definition wrongs sOmetimes-l am glad
it does. But / believe it as correct as
one that short can be. Were to tell you
that Brown is a ward politician, you would
picture man of low public principles
one who is ever ready TO act us agent in
setting up the drinks to anyone whose
vote can be influenced by the lower appe-
tites of man. Should tell you Jones is a
sharp, shrewd politician you picture a
man especially adept in planning those
measures which will secure the greatest
number OF adherents 10 the party In the
interest Of which he is planning, whether
those measures be for catching the Irish
vote or the laboring vote, the saloon ele-
ment or an unsteady faction of the prohi-
ton party. The politician Of an iuterme.
diate grade is tinged more or less with
The qualities and vices Of the two ex.
tremes. II he belongs to your party these
qualities become virtues and he is states
man, otherwise be is politician, guilty OF
Of committing all the depridatlons on the
rights Of society which the term implies,
The pursuit of politics in America and
today is an expensive luxury-hard on the
conscience and, unless successful, hard on
the pocketbook If pursued for profit
and am small enough to presume that
that is the purpose for which they are
generally pursued-there are some noble
exceptions, but l do not believe that the
majority Of those in politics today are act.
uated by any love for humanity at large
| doubt whether the ward heeler is inter.
ested in my welfare, or the candidate fol
the office of high.much.a-muck in his
county or district In your advancement
If pursued for profit 1t has no tendency To
quicken the conscience Of any man.
To begin with, the aspirant tor political
honors must belong to some party and con
sign to it in fee simple his ability lC
think. The common expression is correc
he belongs to that party, He is no longel
an American: his most patriotic expires
sion is II am democrat or II am a re
publican" His highest sense Of loyalty
must be loyalty TO his party. Onc'
having sworn fealty TO party he mus
obey the mandates OF It's bosses and sup
port whomsoever they present for party
honors. Should he bolt a nomination, II
remains forever a blot upon his character
No party is always more nearly righ
than Its opponent and none has a monopo
ly of the purest-minded men. But let 9
man attempt to follow the dictates Of hii
own conscience in selecting the side Of the
question presented or in making hi
choice between aspirants for office and ht
becomes a mugwump-and there is no po
litical future fol mugwump.
4
The expenditure OF money necessary
for political promotion is something o.
which an American dislikes to speak
But q man must be an exceptionally
sharp politician who rises without his owl
gold. There is not a member Of the Cen
tury club who could have afforded one o
0hio's senatorships as they have beef
struck of for the past ten years Tn,
campaign just closed has probably cos
the two principle contesting parties
round million apiece. Some of this mon
ey has been expended In ways that woull
not arouse the conscienscious sCruples o
anyone. Some of II has not No orato
can afford 10 give weeks and months o
the best years OF his life preparing an,
delivering speeches for nothing, whethe
the cause he advocates be right or wrong
Campaign speeches are necessary for par
" success and must be paid for. Saloo
treats, also, unfortunately, are necessary
and they must 5e paid for. No newsps
per can be blamed for demanding fai
compensation for publishing column aite
column Of uninteresting reading matte