Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-24
PROFESSIONAL MEN IN POLITICS.
Good Government Preserved by the
Bctter Element Taking Hold.


| COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia, Aug. 23.-To the
Editor of The Bee: In a recent publication
OF your paper one claiming to be a taxpayer,
subscribing himself "a Citizen" endeavored
in an open letter to the public to excoriate
Mr. Spruit of our school board for his par
ticipation in ward politics. He asserts that
"Sprut is regular attendant at ward
politics" and "is very active participant
in politics of his ward and OF the city at
| large" and that "by reason of his holding
| a position in a state institution he is out
Of place in ward politics."
Has 1t come to this, Are citizens of the
| average intelligence of Mr.. Spruit to be
| held up to public contumely because they
desire to take an active and intelligent in
terest in public affairs? why is Mr. Spruit,
| by reason of his position in state insti-
tuition" precluded from attending political
primaries? Is the rising generation the
attendants of our state institutions. to es-
chew politics and the acquaintance Of poll
ticians?
| believe that the day is not far distant
when the youth. not only of state institu-
| tions, but of our city schools, will be in
structed in the elementary principles that
| underlie self government. He Will be taught
| that 1t is not only a privilege but a duty
emanating from the highest sense of patriot
! ism to earnestly engage in ward caucuses,
to the end that our political parties shall
not be governed by the Ignorant and de-
ways experience a pure, able and economic
conduct of public affairs.
The very pillars of a righteous self-gov-
! ernment depend upon the representation at
| the primaries of intelligent, patriotic men.
| When subscribers to the public press taboo
| and ridicule those who through patriotic
| motives mingle with the uncultured and
| less fortunate; when the intelligent and the
honest fearing the loss of the esteem and
respect of their fellow men, refrain from
| Identifying themselves with political meet
| ngs, when polite society "sneers and scoffs'
at the competent, successful men who as
! pire to hold office then will our political
| machines be in the control of the lawless
| and dishonest, and our offices filled by the
knaves and scoundrels.
| | believe every American citizen should
| be a politician. Not in the narrow sense
of being a standing candidate for po-
| litical preferment, but in the broader and
more patriotic view Of being present at
| his party councils, and voting regularly
with intelligence and honesty. 1t is an
error to believe that one must cease to be
a gentleman and a scholar to be politician
American history is replete with the lives
OF public men who mingled with the lowly
the uneducated and the questionable" and
retained their suavity of manners and bril-
| liancy OF intellect. Carter Harrison, veri-
| table Chevaler de Bayard was on terms
of intimacy with many of the toughest, un-
cultured element of Chicago, yet he never
! forgot his learning and his manners. l have
read that Ben Butler addressed the slums
| of Boston arrayed in a full dress suit with
a chysanthemum in his lapel, upon the
theory that they did not want their candi-
date outshone by the aristocratic element
| of Beacon Hill. "Sunset" Cox a man OF
profound erudtion and polished manners
had many constituents in his congressional
| district in New York City who cared little
| for either.
In city of this size the average attendant
| at ward primaries is eminently more re-
spectacle than at such gatherings in large
metropolitan city. There the scurvy, float
ing debauching contingency must be rec
| ognized and endured. The successful pol.
itician must submit to relationship and ac-
quaintances that he would dislike to in
| troduce into his family.
l believe that Mr.. Spruit or any other
member of our school board will meet with
but very few whose acquaintance would be
undesirable or communicating. We need at
our primaries and caucuses the assistance
of such men as Mr.. Spruit. There is toe
much of disinclnation among the better
classes to take part in politics. 1t is said
that a rule 'the less man inclnes to
use soap the more certain he is TO vote"
II the manipulations of ward politicians
is left entirely to the demagogue and the
great unwashed" its influence will GER
| tainly be pernicious. The time Is almost
here when there will be a great necessity
| for the attendance at primaries of true, en-
! lightened men. The cloud of internal strife
is now forming on the horizon. In the
next crisis through which this country will
pass the contending hosts will be led on by
the red flag of anarchy and the black faG
of monopoly; then the presence Of fearless
patriotic men at political meetings will be
imperative. To such will we look with
hope to quell the animus Of relentless hate
and calm the intrepid spirit of bitter feel
| ing. JEFFERSON.