San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-23

are not numerous enough 70 Ot
catching. 1t is 10 the other side Of
this subject that the LIGHT
preacher directs his words this
morning.
What are the lessons, then, that
are learned in that other "school
OF politics." the political life that il
entered upon as means Of serving
ones personal ends and aims, and
out OF (which the personal results,
in cash or its equivalent, are the
real fruits that are looked for? Is
it possible to find figs upon such
thistle stalk, grapes upon thorn
tree of this breed?
The first and most crying evil
that is developed in this school OF
the self seeking politician is that
"restlessness" which is so general
and so undesirable an inheritance
of the American mind. This nat.
ional nervousness has increased
from generation to generation ever
since that famous "Boston tea
party" leaving our English
cousins to charge us with taking
entirely too much tea on that &C.
casion. This restlessness runs
through every circle of life and
marks much Of our progress from
the cradle to the coffin. 1t is the
foundation for that lack Of
throughness that is so observable
in many Of our business men, our
mechanics, our professional men
and all others. The young man
who is fired to serve bis country in
some office that will pay for his
board and clothes, is not that kind
Of a young man who will bone
steadily to master some profession,
or trade or business. 1t he had any
original bias toward steadiness
and application he will soon lose
1t as he prowls around seeking a
nomination for office, or dances at
tendance upon some ward striker
to secure his influence for an ap-
pointment. His mind Is not in
condition to settle down to any
avocation, to put itself to work in
any direction and that accursed
restlessness that kills effort grows
in him.
This restlessness is soon followed
by Gloss Of manhood" Self re-
spect cannot long survive this
loafing around the heels of patron.
age for some Of the pap that is dis
pensed there and the young man
drops down peg or two in his own
estimation, several pegs in the
estimation Of all honorable people
and very soon, unless he reverses
the motion OF his life, he goes
down with a rush.
Having sacrificed his manhood
upon the alter Of official desire,
downright dishonesty Of purpose
and action follow. The profess
sional politician soon learns that
he must promise all things to all
men, il he would by any means
save himself and secure the Office
and its spoils, and he promises ac-
cordingly. He may at the first
intend to keep these promises, but
in the end he finds that he cannot
and soon grows Indifferent to them.
This breeds that dishonesty OF
mind and thought that so soon
develops a dishonesty Of action
and life in all that concerns the
public. Promises are no longer
made with any intention of keep
ing them. To him they are like
pie-cIust, only made to be broken
II he is "as good as his word" in
anything it is because he has to
keep faith in that particular in
order to have faith kept with him
and 1t is only a question Of how fal
and how successfully he can de-
ceive or hoodwink those with
whom he deals politically. So true
is this that it is proverbial. Al
honest politician is now regarded
as the scarcest work of God.
Having resped the reward of hi
trickery in securing the office h
continues in the practice OF it 70
the personal advantage that h
can derive from 1t. He is either
dupe or deceiver, and in eithe
case he betrsys the interests tina
are committed to his trust. n
B man looking over the great field O