Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-03
pruNEss-yEN IN POLITICS.

We have heard a good deal or talk
lately about businessmen in politics.
The subject is one which may well claim
the attention Of the public generally for
when the businessmen begin to look
around them to ascertain the real condi-
ton Of trade or business or politics.
there IS hope for the country. me Ne"
Work. Journal Of Commerce has directed
ifs attention TO this subject. and de-
veloped some new views. We give a few
extracts from that paper-as follows;
..rhcre is no lack of businessmen In
p3lltics. Some of them are in the eN-
pross business. and some Of them are
railroad men. and some Of them manu-
facture stove backing, while others
manufacture WoOllen goods or carry on
grocery stores. or are officers of banks.
II cannot be said that the businessman
iu politics Is notably superior to the very
common lawyer in politics, or the very
rare physician in politics. or the occasional
clergyman or newspaper man in poilucs'
III has a higher general Intelligence, ana
especially better knowledge OF business
questions. than the professional poliu-
clan. but he is usually as much OF a
nartisan as his associates who are not
faithfully 10 follow the leadership of his
partv boss. and his better intelligence and
high personal honor are simply so much
wasted surplusage."
That seems to be rather a humorous
manner Of discussing this important mat
ter-important to every man, woman, and
child-but it is not. 1t is a mode of at
tracing the public eye. We quote the
Journal further. 1t says:
'Most Of the questions at Albany and
washington are questions OF property. or
Of taxation and public expenditure. of
the relations of various business interests
TO each other and the public, Of bank
ing and insurance and the currency, and
of municipal administration. which Is as
purely a business matter in its nature as
the administration Of a railway com
pany.
business men are not a unit on oil OF
these questions, especially on the tariff
thcy are as much divided as other people
are But on most of these questions the
bulk Of the business sentiment is on one
side Yet there is little indication Of this
at Albany or Washington. There are
about as many businessmen and about
as many habitual politicians who have
no means Of support outside OF politics..
or whose means enable them TO give
themselves up to politics as q game, In
one party as the other. and many ques-
tions only in the most remote degree
political and others not in the least poliu-
cal are made political issues and sup
ported or opposed under direction OF
boss or caucus with no regard for their
real merits The business opinion, the
business ability, the business interests,
OF this city for example, are most in
adequately represented at the State and
national capitals. OF course business
men. individually and as community,
suffer in consequence Of this
IF there is any remedy FOR this-and he
must despair OF our government who
thinks there is monet does not lie in
more businessmen seeking Office. 1t lies
in more political activity by men who
ara not In politics There is nothing new
IN this suggestion and there are those
who say there is nothing practical in IT,,
but this we are far from believing"
Yes, the Journal hits the nail on the
head when IL finds the remedy for the
wrongs under discussion in more poll
teal activity by men who are not i'm
politics" These are the men whom the
mere politician fears. lie dsikes to see
them exert themselves in the field Of
politics. He would rather see a dozen
men who are in politics than one who
seeks honors neither for himself nor his
friends So in the words Of the Journal
we say that "when the businessmen Of
tho country. as businessmen and not
as office-seekers or bosses. undertake
this form OF patriotic work. they will be
lighting effectively In self-defence as well
as for the public good"